The Hardest Job in the World
by aussiebabe290
Summary: AU. Rachel Rafter's life had been perfect, until that fateful day when she was fourteen. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome! Imagine a world where they hadn't always lived in Carrs Park. Where Carbo and Ben hadn't known each other since they were infants. Where Julie Rafter didn't fall pregnant with Ruby when her kids were twenty six, twenty four and twenty two.  
Please read and review!  
Rhyleigh**

* * *

"We're almost here, guys", Julie Rafter said, glancing in the rear view mirror. Her youngest son Nathan, at eleven, was leaning against the window behind the passenger seat, while her fifteen year old daughter Rachel sat behind her. The newborn in the car seat was sleeping peacefully, as her middle child Ben twiddled his thumbs in the passenger seat. "We're almost there".

"Okay", Rachel mumbled, while Nathan merely nodded.

"Good", Ben decided.

Ten minutes later, Julie pulled into the driveway of the new house, parking behind the white van her husband owned.

"Hey guys", Dave said with a smile, watching as the kids climbed out of the car. "How were they, Jules?"

"It was a silent road trip", she said with a shrug. "It hasn't been that quiet since Rachel was a baby. A baby who was asleep".

He smiled, as Ben reached in to pluck the car seat from the car. "Careful, Ben".

"I know, Dad, I've got her".

"Want me to go and put Ruby down?" Nathan asked helpfully, accepting the car seat.

"Thanks, Nathan", Julie said, kissing his cheek.

The move had been a big one. Seven hours in the car, more than any of them could take. But unlike the trip they took to the beach every year, they knew it was different. They would never be seeing their old house- much less their old town- ever again. They were in Carrs Park for good, new schools awaiting them.

A whole new life.

"Come on, guys, go inside", Dave encouraged, nudging Rachel. "There's work that needs to be done- Nan and Granddad are helping to paint your rooms- but it'll do for now".

"Who gets which room?" Ben said automatically.

"Dad's already decided", Julie said, to defuse any arguments before they started.

Heading inside, Rachel was surprised to see their names plastered on doors. Dave had only gotten there an hour before them, but already he had gotten to work, setting up the bassinet for little Ruby and unpacking as much as he could without the moving truck and their furniture.

Her room was far from perfect and far from home, but she knew she could make it work. Her bed was arriving, and with that, she'd have the same purple blankets she'd always had. The bassinet in the corner was a little daunting, but she knew she could work around it.

Almost as if she could sense her there, Ruby started to squirm. Letting out a little squeal, Rachel made her way to the bassinet, placing a hand on her tiny body.

"Hey Ruby", she said gently, stroking her soft baby cheek.

It didn't seem like it to her parents, but she loved that little girl more than they would ever know. She had carried her within her body for the best part of nine months, nurturing her to the best of her ability. And now that she could hold her, she struggled to find a connection.

As Ruby squirmed and cried, craving attention, she stood there helplessly, patting her stomach, trying to soothe her without picking her up.

"She wants you to pick her up", Dave said helpfully from the doorway, making Rachel jump. "She wants to be held, Rach".

"I know I just got here!" she snapped. "Jeez, Dad!"

She gently lifted the little girl into her arms, Ruby immediately quietening. Grabbing a fistful of the teenager's shirt, she nestled her head into her chest, sighing contently. Dave sighed at the sight, wanting no more than to go over and hug his daughter and tell her, like he had when she was a little girl that everything was going to be okay.

He had taken an oath when she was born, that he would never let anyone hurt his baby girl. He was all for building a moat around their house and keeping her forever, until Julie pointed out that teaching her to swim would be the downfall. While they had chuckled at the time, seeing his baby girl so broken made his heart ache.

Since that very night, he had seen a complete three sixty turnaround in her personality. They all had. She'd gone from outgoing and social to a girl who barely spoke, keeping to herself at all times. The little girl had been breaking point- night after night Rachel cried, unable to form a connection with the daughter she loved.

"It's a new start", Rachel whispered to Ruby, brushing her fingers over her soft baby cheek. "A new start for both of us. This is just the beginning".

The two month old nestled her face into her mother's shirt, before sighing contently.


	2. Chapter 2

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**Rhyleigh**

* * *

"First day of school", Julie hummed, less than two weeks later. While they were still getting used to their house in Carrs Park, they had settled into a routine.

On their very first night in the house, they had received a knock at the door, and opened it to three very smiley, very Greek neighbours. Ben had lit up at the sight of their son, the possibility of a mate to get through the rest of the holidays with. Ben and 'Carbo' (Nick to his parents) had instantly become friends, and with Carbo's help, Nathan had found himself a playmate down the road. The two were constantly in and out of the house, swapping between the 'Calamari Castle' next door (what Rachel had christened the Karandonis house) and theirs.

Rachel, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. She struggled to find a routine within their new town, struggling with newborn Ruby. According to the family next door, Ruby was Dave and Julie's youngest child- not grandchild- and Dave and Julie, while they weren't thrilled with the prospect, obliged and went along with it until Rachel worked up the courage to tell others.

"Have fun, darling", Julie said to Ben, kissing his cheek and making him squirm.

"Mum!" he complained.

Rachel dodged the kiss her mother attempted to plant on her cheek, before grabbing her schoolbag. "Bye, Mum".

"Call at lunchtime!" Julie called after her daughter, as the front door slammed. Ruby jolted in the rocker, looking around with her big blue eyes- the same blue eyes she shared with her grandfather, mother and two uncles. "It's just us now, gorgeous", she said softly, smiling sadly at the little girl. Ruby just smiled toothlessly, making her grandmother break into a genuine smile.

* * *

Her first class of the day- English- made Rachel wish that she had stayed at home. While clearly her classmates had known each other since they were toddlers- and all received the book they were reading before school broke up for the Christmas holidays- she had neither a friend nor a book.

"Here", a girl said, grinning and pushing the book towards her, before sliding over to the next seat. "You can share mine, until you get yours".

"Thanks", Rachel said softly, smiling at the girl.

"I'm Libby", the girl said with such enthusiasm that Rachel couldn't help but giggle. "You're new here, right? Your family moved next door to the Karandonis'?"

When Rachel's eyes widened, she laughed. "It's a small town. Everyone knows everyone- I can do something at school and my parents know about it before I get home".

"Okay", she said quickly. "I'm Rachel. Nice to meet you".

"What are you going to do at lunch?" Libby questioned curiously. "No, sorry, that came out wrong. I meant, would you like to sit with me and the boys at lunch? I sit with Jake, George and Camel, we've all known each other since kindergarten- I've known Jake since preschool, actually".

"Camel?"

"Everyone calls him Camel, I don't think anyone really knows his real name". She shrugged, her eyes dancing with laughter. "So, what do you say? Want to sit with us?"

Rachel nodded; overwhelmed by the reams of information she was receiving from the other girl. "I'd like that".

"Great!" Libby beamed, throwing her arms around her. "I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship, Rachel... Rachel?"

"Rachel Rafter". Rachel smiled, hugging her back.

* * *

For the first time since that day almost a year ago, Rachel felt like she belonged. Jake, George and Camel barely batted their eyelids as she took a seat beside Libby, the conversation continuing from where they had left off.

"What about you, Rachel?" Libby checked. "What did you do this summer?"

"We were just focused on the move", Rachel replied honestly, hoping they wouldn't ask her about her family. "Packing up our old lives, moving here… it was a big job".

Jake nodded, chewing intently.

"What did you guys do?"

"There was the weekly trip to the beach", George said with a grin, his skin showing no signs of being exposed to the sun all summer. While Jake, Camel and Libby sported golden brown tans, George was as white as snow. "And the football".

"And cricket", Jake corrected. "We played cricket every Saturday and Libs came down to support us".

"And work on her tan", Libby said with a grin, running her hand down her leg. "I think I've perfected it this year, you know Georgie?"

"Very nice, Libby".

Rachel just grinned. "My brothers love cricket. They'll be joining up next summer, I can guarantee it".

"Good, we need some new players", Camel decided.

"How was your first day?" Julie wanted to know, answering the door with Ruby in her arms. Rachel skidded down the hallway, setting her bag down in her bedroom before sliding off her black school shoes.

"Mum, can we turn on the air conditioner?" she said, ignoring the question. "It's so hot! I'm melting!"

"School, Rach, how was it?" Julie said, ignoring her daughter's question. "Ruby's about ready for her bottle, darling". She held the infant out to her and Rachel gingerly accepted her, moving into the kitchen to pluck a bottle out of the fridge.

"I met some really nice people". She shrugged, unwilling to elaborate. Sticking the bottle into the microwave, she gave a small smile as Ruby beamed at her.

"Did you tell them about Ruby?" Julie wanted to know, and Rachel's eyes widened.

"Mum, I met them like an hour ago, I'm not about to unload all my problems onto them!" she exploded. Sighing, frustrated, she almost ripped the door off the microwave in order to get to the bottle. "I'm going to my room; I've got things to do".


	3. Chapter 3

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**Rhyleigh**

* * *

"Hey, the boys have cricket tomorrow", Libby stated, crumbing the crusts of her sandwich into breadcrumbs, "And I'm going down to watch. Do you want to come? You're more than welcome to, just send me a text and I'll let you know when we're leaving".

Rachel grinned, nodding eagerly. After a week at Carrs Park High School, she finally felt somewhat comfortable with Libby and the boys. She was slowly getting used to their wisecracks, and while she might not have understood the running jokes (she had known them only a week and they had been friends since preschool, she supposed), she had found a place in the new town where she fitted. "I'd really like that. I'll check with Mum and Dad and let you know, is that alright?"

"That's fine". Libby nodded, passing the remains of her sandwich to Camel. Without even checking, he wolfed it down, washing it down with apple juice. "You're disgusting".

* * *

"But Mum", Rachel argued, her hands on her hips, raising her voice slightly. "Please?"

"You can go, Rach, we told you, but you'd have to take Ruby with you", Julie said calmly, folding a towel. "Ben, can you please put this in the cupboard, darling? Thank you. The boys and I are going to visit Nan and Granddad, you're more than welcome to go down to the park, but you're taking Ruby with you or you're not going".

"But Nan and Granddad love Ruby, why can't you take her with you?" she pleaded, sounding a lot younger than she was.

"Rachel", Dave said warningly from the other end of the house.

"We're going to Nan and Granddad's?" Nathan's eyes widened at the sound of the news, breaking into a grin. Ben elbowed him in the ribs, before shaking his head.

"No, and shut up about it!"

"Fine!" Rachel marched towards the bathroom, slamming the door. There was a whimper from her purple bedroom, and she let out a frustrated scream.

"I'll get her", Ben said quickly, advancing towards his sister's room.

At fourteen weeks old, little Ruby was the most placid baby Julie and Dave had ever seen- but she was not one for loud noises. The yelling between the boys was kept to a dull roar, but it was the accidental- or not accidental- slamming of doors that could set her off.

* * *

"Bye darling", Julie said sweetly, as Rachel pushed the pram out the front door. "Make sure you put on some sunscreen, I don't want you getting burnt".

"Say hi to Nan and Granddad for me", she grumbled, adjusting the shade on the pram.

"We will".

Rachel pushed the pram along, humming slightly to herself, taking in the warm weather. She had never really had a chance to bond with the infant- it seemed forced and unnatural- but maybe that afternoon would be different.

"Hey Rach!" Libby called, waving from the blanket. "Oh, you had to bring your little sister! She's so cute! What's her name? She's absolutely gorgeous!"

Rachel didn't even bother correcting her. "This is Ruby", she said, setting the brakes on the pram and sitting down beside her.

"Don't worry, Jake had to bring his little brother down here, too", she explained, motioning towards the playground. "Grace- that's his mum, she's gorgeous- has been working on Saturdays lately, so Alex has come with us. We're all going back to Jake's place after the game, too, his mum usually sets out cold drinks and party pies for us, and you're welcome to come, too".

"I don't know", Rachel said uneasily. "I've got the baby, Mum and Dad took my brothers over to our grandparents and I have to babysit".

"Can I hold her?" Libby questioned, diverting her attention back to the tiny infant. "She's so little! How old is she?"

"Fourteen weeks". Rachel gingerly lifted her out of the pram, before settling her in Libby's arms. Ruby immediately snuggled into her shirt, resting her head on Libby's chest.

"She's so sweet!"

Libby held the baby for most of the game, letting her sleep on her chest and giving her a bottle when she started to grizzle. The whole time while they chatted, Rachel felt pangs of guilt hit her, but still, she didn't know how to correct herself. How could she tell her newfound friend that the little girl was her daughter, instead of her sister?

"Hey, who's the kid?" Jake wanted to know, sweat dripping down his nose. "Where's my drink, Libs?"

"In the bag like they always are". She glared, before looking at Ruby and melting into a smile. "This is Rachel's little sister, isn't she cute?"

"She's cute", he agreed with a small smile. "Fix her hat, Libs, a newborn doesn't need sunburn".

Libby adjusted her hat, and handed her back to Rachel. Brushing her hand over her soft cheek, she adjusted her hat once more before setting her in the pram, covering her with a light wrap and adjusting the shade cover.

"Jake, your mum won't mind if we take Rachel and Ruby back to yours, will she?" Libby checked, and Jake shook his head, water flicking everywhere.

"Nah, she'll be cool with it. Mum loves babies; I've got so many cousins". He grinned. "Oi CAMEL!" he bellowed, breaking the other boy's attention from the girls he was talking to. "Tasha McNeil, hey Libby?"

"Urgh".

"They've hated each other since kindergarten", George filled in, flopping down onto the blanket beside Rachel. "Don't talk to Libby about it, it makes her angry".

Rachel laughed. "There was a girl like that at my old school, we never got along… especially right before we moved. I was so glad to see the end of her".

"There's one everywhere", Camel said, catching the end of the conversation. "What the hell's your problem, Jake?"

"She's with Marc Antico, mate".

"Since when has that ever stopped her?"

Laughing, the group of five friends swapped stories, while all the while Ruby slept, by far the centre of attention.

(All Rachel had to do was work up the courage to tell them that she was in fact her daughter and not her younger sister, and life would continue, hopefully as normal.)

* * *

When Rachel walked in the door that evening, she was surprised to find her parents and brothers sitting in the lounge room, cold drinks in front of them. "I thought you were all at Nan and Granddad's?"

"We were", Dave lied. "But we came home early, we missed you girls".

Rachel lifted Ruby out of her pram, before carrying her towards the bathroom. "What's for dinner?"

Julie was shocked; watching as Rachel expertly cradled the infant in one arm, while running a shallow bath. Setting the seat into the tub, she stripped little Ruby down, tipping in a little of the baby body wash.

"Mum, dinner?" Ben prompted.

"Sorry!" she apologised quickly. "Cold chicken and salad, it's too hot to cook".

Rachel knew that without a doubt, Ruby had inherited her mother's love for the water. Her little feet kicked, and Rachel let out a quiet squeal, giggling. When she was younger, she had been almost impossible to tear from the water, and yet she hadn't gone swimming in over a year.

After lifting Ruby from the bath and dressing her into a clean singlet and pyjamas, she made a bottle with one hand, rocking her slightly in her arms.

"Did you have a good day, Rachel?" Nathan said finally, giving his older sister a grin, and Rachel gave the eleven year old a small smile.

"We did, actually".

Dave and Julie didn't say anything- anything was an improvement, and they weren't going to ruin the moment.


	4. Chapter 4

Over the next two weeks, Rachel went to the cricket, taking Ruby with her. And every Saturday, Libby would coo over the little girl, making her giggle and laugh. It came naturally to Libby, Rachel sighed, frustrated, but slowly, she was growing closer to the tiny girl. It wasn't as much as a struggle to pick her up when she cried, and holding her seemed a lot easier than it had been once.

It wasn't that Rachel had found a new group of friends, Julie and Dave thought. It was that they thought that Ruby was their daughter, instead of their granddaughter.

"Hey", Libby said one afternoon, as they walked out of their classroom. "James- you know, from English? Well, he's having a party for his sixteenth this weekend; do you want to be my plus one? Jake and Camel are going, too, so we won't be totally alone".

"I'll check with Mum and Dad", Rachel said with a smile. "I'm sure they'll say yes".

To her surprise, they agreed. Normally, she'd have to look after Ruby, but they agreed to babysit for the Saturday night.

"Can I sleep over at Libby's?" she checked, as an afterthought. "That way I won't get home too late and wake her up. Please? I promise I'll come straight home on Sunday morning".

"Alright", Julie said finally (despite the fact that they had been drilling into her that she was a mother now, and had to put Ruby first, she was still a child. There was a fine line that the grandparents were trying to cross). "but remember, Rachel, Ruby comes first".

"I know, Mum". And she pressed a kiss to her mother's forehead, before trotting off to find something to wear.

Libby all but squealed with excitement when she found out. "Bring your cossies! We've got a pool, we can go swimming!" she enthused.

Rachel squirmed in her seat. "I don't really swim", she admitted.

"Oh. Oh, that's alright! You can just dangle your feet in the pool", she decided. "Jake's coming over on Sunday morning for brekky, we can all go for a swim- or a dangle of our feet in the pool. Either way, it'll be a really great time!"

Rachel found herself almost counting down the days until the party, before packing her bag and kissing Ruby goodbye. "I promise I'll be back tomorrow", she said to the sleeping little girl. "And I promise I'll try harder. I really try, Ruby, I hope you know that". Kissing her soft cheek once again, she danced into the hallway.

"Be careful", Dave warned. "And use your best manners at Libby's house".

"I always do".

* * *

Rachel put her bag down on Libby's bedroom floor, a grin on her face. For the first time since that night over a year ago, she felt like a normal kid again. She knew she wasn't, but it was nice to feel like one.

"Thank you for inviting me, Libby", she said with a smile.

"You're welcome!" Libby pointed to the double bed. "You don't mind sharing a bed, do you?"

"No, that's fine".

"Alright". Libby scanned the room, before grabbing her handbag. "James's place is walking distance, it's literally a street over, so we're walking there, but my mum's going to take the five of us home".

"Okay!"

Farewelling Libby's parents, the two set off, heading down the road to James's house, Libby talking incessantly the whole way.

"I didn't think there'd be alcohol", Rachel said uneasily, and Libby smiled at her.

"It'll be fine, Rach- hey, there's Camel!" Libby waved, tugging Rachel across the yard. "Hey Camel!"

"Hey Rach!" Jake said, appearing with three cans of Coke in his hands. "Hey Lib". He passed a drink to each of the girls and Rachel smiled at him.

"Where's George?"

"George is here!" George popped up, making Libby jump.

"Dude, you need to STOP that!"

* * *

"The red ones are non-alcoholic!" James called, as they brought out trays of jelly shots. Rachel picked up two of the red jelly shots, smiling at Jake.

While Libby had had a drink, George, Jake and Rachel weren't drinking. (Camel was a different story, he was absolutely blind by the time they found him again.) Jake was protective of the two girls (and George), and knew that if he was drinking, he'd easily loose track of the three.

So when Rachel wandered off, he considered it his duty to find her.

Rachel jumped, as one of the boys from their English class came towards her. "Don't touch me!" he warned.

"What?" he held up his hands.

"Don't touch me!" she backed away from him, almost bumping into Jake. She let out a yelp and he grabbed her.

"Hey, Rach, it's me!"

Rachel, still tense, relaxed slightly.

"The red ones weren't non-alcoholic, were they?" Jake growled to the boy from their English class. "Do you know how many she's had?"

"A couple", he said uncertainly, backing away. "What's her problem?"

"I don't know, okay?" Jake snapped. "Bring it up again, and I'll break your nose, alright mate?"

He nodded, uncertain of the tiny blonde.

Jake put an arm around her, walking her towards the other side of the yard. "Rachel, what happened?"

"I'm not having sex tonight".

"What?" he was confused. "Rach, no one said anything about you having sex tonight, its alright!"

"No! I don't want it to happen again!"

"Rach, what?" he put an arm around her, and she pulled away. "Rachel, what are you talking about?"

"Ruby!" she whispered. "Ruby, she's not my sister. She's my daughter".

Before she knew it, she had spilled the entire story out to him, and Jake stood there, his mouth open without any words coming out.

And Rachel wished the ground could swallow her up.

* * *

_Humming along to the radio, Julie pulled into the driveway to see her daughter sitting on the front steps, her head in her hands. _

"_Rach!" she called out, opening the door. "Did you forget your keys, darl?"_

"_Mummy!" Rachel wailed, throwing her arms around her mother. Julie was taken aback, as she held her tight. _

"_Rachel, darling, what happened?"_

_Rachel didn't say anything; she just let her mother hold her, sobbing gently into her shoulder. Her own shoulders heaving, she relished in the comfort her mother provided, knowing that when she eventually told her what had happened, she wouldn't be receiving the same kind of comfort._

"_Rachel", Julie said gently, shifting the young girl so she could open the front door. "Darling, you need to tell me what happened so I can fix it"._

_Rachel shook her head, as if she was able to see the disappointment already in her mother's eyes. "No, I can't"._

"_Rachel", Julie tried again, holding her tight._

"_No, Mum, I can't!" she shook uncontrollably, as Julie guided her into her purple painted bedroom. _

"_We'll keep it between us, I promise"._

"_No, you're going to tell Dad! And then you'll tell Ben and Nathan and then everyone will know what happened!"_

"_Hun, it can't be that bad", Julie said gently._

"_It is!" bursting into a whole new round of tears, threw herself at her mother, her head eventually making its way into her lap. Julie rubbed her back and stroked her hair, like she had done when Rachel was a little girl and had fallen and hurt herself, or had woken up from a nightmare. _

_They stayed that way for a long time, until Dave arrived home with the boys._

"_Jules?" Dave called. "Where are you?"_

"_I'm with Rachel!" Julie called, startling the teenager so much she let out a whimper. "Darling, can you please tell me, so I can fix this?"_

"_You can't fix this", she said miserably._

"_What happened?" Dave said in alarm, moving into the doorway. "Rachel, what's wrong?"_

"_No, Daddy, no!" she shook her head violently, grabbing a pillow and scooting to lean against the wall. "Neither of you can fix this!"_

"_Rachel-"_

"_No!"_

_Dave took her by the hands, pulling her a little closer. "Rachel, what's going on? What's so wrong that you can't even tell Mum and me about it?"_

"_You can't tell Ben and Nathan yet, I'm meant to be their big sister, they're meant to look up to me! They won't look up to me now, I am so sorry!" tears rolling down her face, she made no movement to wipe them away. "Will you still love me, even though I screwed up?"_

"_Of course we will!" Dave said emphatically, holding her close. "No matter what, we're always going to love you, Rachel Rafter"._

"_But Dad-"_

"_No buts, Rach, we're always going to love you", Julie interrupted. _

_Hiccupping, she took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant"._

"_WHAT?" Dave bellowed, his cheeks reddening._

_Julie just stared in shock, at the little girl she had been tucking into bed only weeks before._

"_You're pregnant?" Dave demanded. "Who? You're fourteen!"_

"_Dad!" tears streamed down her face. "It's not like that; I'm not some teenage slut! I was raped, Dad! It was Daniel, I didn't want it! Daddy, I'm sorry!" she fell to the bed, sobbing, and Julie picked her up, holding her tight. "I'm so, so sorry!"_

"_Dad?" Ben called. "Mum, what's for dinner?"_

"_Order pizza or Chinese or something, we're talking to your sister!" Dave bellowed back. "Stay out there and don't do anything!" turning to his daughter, he just shook his head. "I'm going to tear him apart, he hurt my daughter!"_

"_Daddy!" Rachel sobbed._

"_I'm going to make him wish he was never born- I'm going to kill him. You're fourteen, how stupid can he be? I swear on my life, I would rather be in jail then let that little bastard walk free for hurting my daughter!"_

_After some stern words from Julie, Dave relented, choosing to hold Rachel close instead. When she was little, he was able to sooth her with a cuddle, but he knew that news like this would need more than a cuddle to stop her hurting. Rachel held onto his shirt, her puffy cheeks making her look so much younger._

"_You're fourteen", he repeated, rubbing her back. "How could you be pregnant? You're still a baby! Oh, Rachel…"_

"_We're going to get through this", Julie promised, squeezing her foot gently. "I promise, Dad and I are going to be there for you every step of the way. We're not leaving you"._

_Rachel nodded, her face pressed into her father's shirt. But she knew, as much as her parents loved her, that something had changed that afternoon. She had admitted it to them, and their views on their only daughter had changed forever. She was no longer the little girl who wanted cuddles from them after she scraped her knee; she was their daughter who was pregnant at fourteen. The result of a messed up handful of dates, in too deep to escape. Tainted, not the same girl they had once knew. _

_But they kept their promise. Not once did they leave her._

_Not when her beloved Granddad had walked out of the room, unable to believe that his princess was pregnant. Their relationship had changed so dramatically- she was still his princess, but it wasn't the same._

_Not when she came home every day, sobbing, because the bullying was so severe. Her twelve year old baby brother was sticking up for her, a full head smaller than her, and yet he was trying his hardest. It was Rachel's job to walk to their school to collect them to walk home, but Ben had taken it upon himself to collect Nathan and come and get Rachel from her school. And, holding their hands the whole way home, they walked, the Rafter three._

_They had never left her side. _


	5. Chapter 5

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* * *

"Morning Rachel". Libby mumbled without even opening her eyes, wincing a little. "This is not good… I hope Dad cooks us bacon and eggs. I could really go for something really greasy right now".

Rachel nodded in confirmation, her head pounding. As far as she was aware, she hadn't actually drunk that much- she was hung over with emotions. She knew she had told Jake. And she regretted it from the moment she opened her mouth.

"Libby! Rachel! Are you girls out of bed yet?" Libby's mother called down the hallway. "Dad's cooking bacon and eggs out on the barbecue, and the boys will be here any minute!"

"Coming!" Libby almost croaked, kicking off the blankets. "Whoa… alright, do you remember where I put my swimmers yesterday?"

"Your bathroom. Hanging up in the shower". Rachel shifted slightly, before sitting up. "Which boys are coming?"

"Oh, just our ones", Libby said, ferretting through the bathroom cupboard. "Panadol- here, if you're feeling anything like I am you're going to need it. I don't know about Camel, I don't even know if he made it home".

As the bathroom door closed, Libby's phone vibrated on the desk.

"Hey Libby, want me to get that?"

"It'll be Jake or George", Libby said, as she changed from her pyjamas into her swimming costume. "I can guarantee it".

It was Jake, telling them that he was on his way with George in tow (and wanting to know how Camel got home the night before).

"Camel didn't get home", Rachel reported.

"He's so grounded".

Rachel tried not to grin, knowing that if her parents found out about the night before, she'd be more than grounded.

(She could almost hear them- "you're meant to be setting an example for your daughter and the boys!".)

After the boys arrived and Mr Bromilow dished them out plates of bacon and eggs from the barbecue, they sat on the edge of the pool, dangling their legs into the water.

"You know, I'm brave, but I'm not stupid", Libby voiced, as goosebumps prickled her skin. "I'm not getting in that water".

Any other day, Jake would have gone right ahead and shoved her off the edge of the pool (as he had done so many times during the summer). But that morning, he was too preoccupied by the news Rachel had delivered to him to even bother.

"What's up with you this morning?" George grumbled. "You didn't even drink!"

"Thank you so much for having me last night", Rachel said to Libby's mother.

"No worries darl, you're more than welcome any time", Mrs Bromilow said with a smile (the same warm smile that Libby had). "Thank you for coming!"

"See you tomorrow, Rach!" Libby said, her eyes shaded by sunglasses as she dangled her legs in the pool.

"I think I'll walk Rachel home", Jake said, standing up. "Thanks for breakfast, Mrs Bromilow".

"Thanks for coming Jake; you know you boys are more than welcome over any time". Mrs Bromilow smiled at the boy.

"See you tomorrow, Jake", Libby said, and George barely acknowledged them.

Rachel headed into Libby's room to collect her belongings, before waving goodbye once more.

"Thanks for coming, Rach", Libby repeated, before dunking her head into the icy water.

Rachel grinned, as she opened the front gate, Jake at her side.

"How much did I tell you?" Rachel asked Jake, as she slung her backpack over her shoulders.

"A lot", he said, nodding.

"I'm a head case. It's best if you just don't talk to me, you know what? Come tomorrow I'll go my separate way and you guys can go back existing the way you did before I came to Carrs Park and screwed with the system".

"Whoa!" Jake put a hand on her shoulder, removing it the second she flinched. "Sorry, sorry. Look, it'll be okay. I haven't said anything to anyone, and I'm not going to say anything to anyone. If you're not saying anything, I'm not either". He held up a hand. "Scout's honour".

"You aren't even a Scout".

"Not true, George convinced me to come to one little meeting thing when we were seven. That was all I went to, but I think that gives me the right to use the Scout's honour".

Rachel tried to fight with the smile plying at her lips. "Ruby was born a month before I turned fifteen, the nurses and doctors judged me even before learning my story. I didn't tell them my story, and when we moved- well, Libby just assumed she was my sister. It was my fault for not correcting her". She swallowed harshly and Jake's heart hurt, at the sight of his friend hurting. He put an arm around her and she didn't shrug him away as they walked. "It was just easier, starting knew with people believing she's my sister. I will tell them, I just can't. Not yet".

"It's alright", Jake assured her. "They'll understand. I mean, Libby doesn't care, if she had her way, Ruby would be hers".

Rachel smiled softly. "When Ruby was born, it was so hard for me. I mean, there was this baby that I loved, but I couldn't connect with her. I couldn't hold her, I couldn't feed her, and I couldn't do anything. Without Mum and Dad, Ruby probably wouldn't be here today". She felt her heart break a little as she admitted it. "When I came here, and brought her to the park that very first day… Libby was bonding with her. Libby was able to hold her and give her a bottle and settle her down when she grumbled… I watched. I was jealous. It's still hard, Jake, but seeing you guys play with her is what's made it easier. I can get up to her at night now and pick her up, instead of just patting her tiny chest".

"If I ever meet this guy, Rach, I'm going to kill him", he threatened, and he felt her shoulders shake with laughter.

"Believe me, you're not the first in line".

The pair walked in silence to the Rafter house, Jake watching from the gate as Rachel opened the front door.

"You can come in", she offered, and Jake followed her sheepishly into the house.

"Hey Rach!" Ben said cheerfully as he came out of his bedroom. "Ruby's awake!"

"Good, that's good". She smiled at her brother, seeing the warning glance he was shooting at Jake. "Jake, this is my brother Ben. Ben, you know Jake, from school? It's alright, he knows about Ruby".

"You told them?" Nathan's eyes nearly fell out of his head.

"Jake knows". She narrowed her glance at the pair of them. "And that's how it's going to stay for a while, alright?"

"Hi darling!" Julie called from the kitchen.

"Hi Mum- this is Jake, my friend from school".

"Hi Mrs Rafter", Jake said, almost shyly, from the doorway, as Rachel headed into the lounge room to see her daughter.

"Jake". Dave nodded at him, and Rachel stared at him.

"He's a friend, Dad. Believe me; I don't want anything to do with boys".

"Nice to meet you, Jake". Julie's smile was soft.

"You too, Mrs Rafter".

"Call me Julie".

"Okay, Mrs Rafter".

Rachel grinned, as she lifted Ruby from the swing. "Hey Rubes, did you miss me?"

"She did", Nathan confirmed. "She wouldn't settle last night, until Ben put her in that stupid thing and cranked the music".

"She loved it!" Ben protested.

Rachel smiled at Ruby, brushing her fingers over her cheeks. "Want a cuddle?" she offered, and Jake accepted the baby expertly, rearranging her in his arms.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters, Jake?" Julie asked curiously, as she set her mug in the sink.

"I have a younger brother", Jake nodded, his eyes on the little girl in his arms. "Yeah, it's just me and Alex and Mum".

Despite the fact that he knew he had homework, Jake spent his whole morning with the Rafter family, and half of the afternoon, too. He and Rachel sat on the back veranda, talking about everything and anything, and Rachel knew from that moment on, that she had made one very good friend.


	6. Chapter 6

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* * *

The day Ruby turned five months old; Rachel woke up knowing that she had to tell her friends the truth. Jake knew, but that was it. Libby, Camel and George all believed that the little girl was just her much younger sister.

So, upon them agreeing to meet her at the park (Libby and George were stopping to get hot chips and strawberry milk for lunch), Rachel bundled up herself and her daughter (it might have only been May but the wind chill in their area brought the temperature down significantly) before heading towards the park.

"Hey Rach!" Camel called, as she pushed the pram towards them. "You're babysitting again? Couldn't one of the boys do it?"

(They had all become acquainted enough with the Rafter family to know that Rachel had two younger brothers, who would tease her endlessly- something that only child George found particularly amusing.)

"Not today". She shook her head, before making sure that Ruby was completely covered in blanket. "Where are the others?"

"Hey!" Jake bellowed, coming across the playground with Alex limping slightly after him. As he came closer, he called his apologies. "Sorry, Mum got called into work; I couldn't leave him at home on his own. Where's Libs?"

"We're here!" Libby called, carrying a wrapped package of hot chips. George followed, with a bag of strawberry Mooves. "We got an extra milk for Alex, we weren't sure if he was joining us or not".

"Chocolate?" Alex checked, and George nodded.

"Your favourite".

Alex beamed, as George produced the single chocolate milk from the bag, thrilled that his older brother's friends had put him into consideration.

As Libby unwrapped the packet of chips and they all settled around the picnic table (Alex situating himself on the end beside Ruby, he adored the little girl), Camel turned to Rachel expectantly.

"So, what did you call us all here for?"

Rachel picked up a chip, before breaking it in half. "Well… um…"

"You just wanted to see my face, didn't you". Camel grinned, taking a long slurp of his strawberry milk. "I can't help it, people love me!"

"Yes Camel, that's exactly it". She chuckled slightly. "I suppose I just wanted to tell you the truth".

"The truth about what?" Libby was confused.

"Do you remember the first cricket game that I went to, where I had to bring Ruby?" she motioned to the pram.

"Yeah, when she was a little bubba!" Libby beamed at the little girl, who grinned right back at her. "Look at her now! She's a big girl!"

"Libby asked me if I had to bring my sister, and I said yes. I didn't even think about it. But I wasn't entirely truthful".

"What do you mean?" Libby was confused, as she bit into another chip. "What weren't you telling us?"

"The fact that Ruby's not my sister", she said quietly, and Jake nodded at her encouragingly.

"What do you mean?" George voiced.

"I mean Ruby's not my sister. She's my daughter".


	7. Chapter 7

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* * *

They took the news better than they expected, Rachel had to give them credit for that.

(Except for Camel inhaling the chip he had been eating and Libby practically giving him the Heimlich. They probably could have gone without that.)

"What do you mean, she's your daughter?" George asked seriously, after taking a long swallow of his milk.

"I mean, she's my daughter. She's not my sister; I was the one who gave birth to her".

"How?" Libby wanted to know. "I mean, how is she yours? You're like fifteen!" her eyes were wide as she swapped between her best friend and the baby in the pram, obliviously fiddling with the pram toys.

"I know- please, before you say anything, or start judging me, can you please hear me out?"

They were quiet, their hot chips and strawberry milk being forgotten by all of them except Alex (he kept eating like he received earth shattering news every day).

"When I was fourteen, I was dating a guy, before we moved. He wanted things that I didn't want. And he got them anyway. He raped me on our fifth date. I didn't realise I was pregnant at first. But when I did, I knew there was no way I was going to get rid of it". She motioned to the baby, who was cheerfully chewing on the pram toys that Rachel's grandparents had bought her. "I mean, she did nothing wrong. It was him. I was in too deep, Mum and Dad and the boys were supportive, but in the end I couldn't do it. I couldn't look after Ruby. I was struggling so much when you met me".

"Rachel-" George started, and Jake kicked him under the table.

He could tell they were full of questions, but the glares he was shooting them stopped them in their tracks. Letting Rachel get her story out- letting her be completely, one hundred percent honest with them for the first time- was what was important at that moment. Their questions and queries would wait.

"I was fifteen with a baby", she said quietly, staring down at her strawberry milk. "You guys helped me. When I moved here I had lost every friend I had, all because of what Daniel did. I could barely handle having a baby, and without Mum and Dad she probably wouldn't be here now".

Libby's eyes grew (if possible) even wider and before Rachel could comprehend what was going on, she had bounded from her seat and engulfed the girl in a hug, half hauling her off the seat herself. While Rachel recovered from the rib crushing bear hug, Libby moved to the pram, scooping Ruby out and holding her close.

"Alright, that was not the reaction I was expecting", she murmured and Jake chuckled under his breath.

"What's this guy's last name?" Camel said finally, fully recovered from the Heimlich incident. "We're gonna kill him. Jake, we've got to kill him. George, we're going to kill him".

"Camel", Rachel said sharply. "It's over. I've moved on- well, I don't think I'll ever fully move on, but it's the past. Ruby is my future".

"Well, Aunty Libby is going to be a big part of that future", Libby decided, passing the baby to George before wrapping Rachel in a hug.

* * *

They all congregated at the Rafter house that afternoon (to defrost, Rachel had put it, as she unwrapped Ruby slightly from the layers of clothing before settling her into the cot), where Rachel admitted to her parents that she had told her friends the truth.

"Only they know", she said to Dave, as she sipped her tea, Libby nodding along. "But they're the only ones I really know, so that's all that matters right now".

"Rachel, I hope you realise that if other people find out-" Julie started, before the blonde cute her off.

"I know, Mum. I think I can handle it".

"We can handle it, Mrs Rafter", George said confidently (making Libby splutter in amusement into her own mug of tea).

"George, sweetheart, how many times have I told you to call me Julie?"

"Sorry".

"I'm proud of you, Rachel", Dave said, leaning over and pressing a kiss to the side of her head.

No one understood the grin that spread across the blonde's face, or the brightness that shone in her eyes. She knew her father loved her, but he hadn't said that he was proud of her since she got pregnant with Ruby. It had been over a year since her father had uttered those words, and nothing meant more to her than knowing he had said it again.


	8. Chapter 8

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* * *

When she woke up on that early December day, she knew the day would be special. Ben and Nathan had stayed up late the night before, blowing up balloons, and Julie had baked a cake. Dave had tacked the Rafter birthday banner to hang above the kitchen, and Rachel had wrapped presents late into the night.

She was already awake as Rachel stepped over to the cot, grinning to her bear (a favourite that Rita and Theo Karandonis next door had given her).

"Happy first birthday baby", Rachel whispered, standing over the cot. Ruby beamed up at her, puling herself up on the bars to hold her arms out to her mother. "I can't believe you're one!"

The little girl grinned at her, as Rachel lifted her out of the cot, cradling her in her arms.

"Happy birthday baby girl".

It had been a whole year. One of the longest years of Rachel's life, and yet the shortest at the same time.

In that time, the four pound, six ounce baby girl had grown into her size one clothes, toddling around the house and making life difficult for her uncles (Nathan had learned the hard way to put his Lego up high, as he found Ruby smashing it to pieces in the lounge room one afternoon).

She had learned how to say 'mum', 'pa', 'pop' and a garbled sound that Ben and Nathan were convinced was 'uncle' (Ben, Nathan and boy next door Carbo were taking bets on which name she would say first).

She had moved on from a diet of solely formula to one that contained a variety of vegetables and fruits, bananas being her favourite.

She had cut six teeth (making her mother consider buying shares in Bonjela during the nights that Ruby had kept her awake, her mouth in pain) that made her smile even cuter.

Julie and Dave (with some insistence from Ben and Nathan) had firmly told Rachel that a first birthday party for little Ruby was going to happen, whether the girl liked it or not. Rachel had objected at first (wanting to spent the day at the park with the little girl, Ruby's absolute favourite place in the world), but had come to love the idea.

So she had printed invitations (rather than making them, she had had enough of that when she made the invitations for her naming day, the day where Nathan, Ben and Libby were declared her unofficial godparents), delivering them to everyone invited. Her grandparents, the Karandonis family next door, and of course, her little group of friends (including Alex and Grace Barton, Jake's brother and mother, who absolutely adored little Ruby). It was a mishmash group, but Rachel wouldn't want anyone else to celebrate her daughter's first birthday.

"I can't believe she's one!" Ben commented, as Rachel carried her into the kitchen. Plopping her into the highchair, Rachel nodded.

"I know!"

They had both grown up so much within the year, Rachel barely recognised herself some days.

* * *

After breakfast of Julie's famous banana pancakes (a hit with the baby) and diced peaches (another of her favourites), Rachel carried Ruby off to dress her into her birthday outfit (an early present from her grandparents, a green overall dress over a light pink stripy shirt, complete with little white sandals), before getting ready for the real celebrations.

Their guests were scheduled to start arriving at ten thirty, enough time for a small celebration before Ruby crashed for her nap. But with a party hat secured on her head, Ruby didn't look like she would be sleeping any time soon.

"We're gonna party!" Ben said, tossing Ruby up into the air and making her squeal with excitement. "Happy birthday Ruby! Can you say Ben? Can you say Uncle Ben?"

"Nah, she wants to say Uncle Nathan!" Nathan grinned.

She babbled excitedly, her sounds coming out garbled and the pair weren't able to make out even a single sound.

"No idea". Ben shrugged, setting her down on her feet. The little girl toddled away to play with the blocks in the corner, ignoring Nathan completely.

A knock on the door signalled the first of their guests, and Rachel bounded towards it excitedly. "Ruby, come on!"

But Ruby ignored her, continuing to hammer the blocks against each other.

"Hi Nan, hi Granddad", Rachel smiled, as she opened the door.

"Hello darling!" Louise wrapped her arms around her granddaughter, peppering her with kisses. "Where is the munchkin?"

Nathan scooped her up, blocks in hand, bringing her into the hallway. Ruby grinned as she saw her great grandparents, reaching out for Ted. Ted took her in his arms, kissing her cheek.

"She's grown so much since we last saw her!" Louise commented.

"She never stops growing", Ben commented.

"A bit like you! Come here; give your old nan a hug!"

The Karandonis family were next to arrive, showering her with affection and gifts. Rachel thanked them endlessly, all the while waiting for her friends to arrive so they could start the party.

And when that final knock on the door came, she plucked Ruby from her father's arms, carrying her towards the front door.

"Who else is there to come?" she heard her granddad ask her mother.

"Oh, Rachel's friends", Julie answered.

"Happy birthday!"

Rachel, laughing, opened the door to find Jake, Libby, Camel and George standing on the front doorstep, armed with presents and stuffed toys and balloons, huge grins on their faces.

"Hi!"

Ruby waved excitedly, holding out her arms to Libby (Aunty Libby was one of her favourite people) and the older girl reacted just as enthusiastically, taking her into her arms and kissing the top of her head.

"Happy birthday baby girl!" Libby cooed.

"Happy birthday munchkin!" Jake beamed at her, laughing as she gave him a toothy grin in return.

"Happy birthday Ruby Lou!" George reached out to tickle her under the chin, making her giggle.

"Happy birthday kiddo!" Camel just beamed, his smile becoming even wider when Ruby grinned at him.

(They were her beloved uncles and aunt, always able to get a smile out of the little girl.)

"Happy birthday Ruby!" Alex, almost hidden behind his brother and a giant green and pink lizard (matching Ruby's outfit) said excitedly.

Rachel, still laughing, opened the door even wider to let the group of four (Libby still balancing Ruby in her arms) into the house. "Thank you so much for coming-"

"Like we'd miss this!" Jake laughed, taking Alex's hand as he helped him into the house. "Mum is so sorry she couldn't make it, she got a last minute shift at work, and she really couldn't turn it down".

"That's fine", Rachel said with a smile. "I'll send some cake home with you, though, alright? Mum made it, not me", she said hastily, when she saw their faces.

(Food technology was not her best subject, and Jake never failed to remind her, laughing his head off. "Rock scones!")

* * *

After a full morning of opening presents (in which newly turned one year old Ruby Louise got ridiculously spoilt), eating and celebrating with cake (which Ruby stuck her hand into, making Rachel laugh and Julie sigh dramatically, having spent the whole afternoon before making), the little girl crashed, on the floor and on top of her pink and green lizard (a new favourite).

"Shoes and all", Libby said, shaking her head. "I'm jealous of all the sleep she gets!"

Louise laughed. "I can't believe she's one. I remember a year ago, she was this tiny little thing, too small to even fit in my arms, and now she's a big girl, running around like she owns the place".

"Everything is severely child locked", Ben nodded in agreement (child locked to the point where he had stood in front of a cupboard screaming something along the lines of 'Mum, how the hell do you open this?!').

"She's a big girl now", Rachel said fondly, running a hand through the mousy brown hair on top of her head (it was halfway between deciding to turn blonde, like Rachel hoped, or turning dark, like Daniel's had been. Rachel was praying for it to turn blonde). With one hand under her neck to support her head and the other wrapping under her back, she lifted her into her arms, carrying her towards the cot.

A year ago, she could barely hold her baby girl.

But a year made such a difference.


	9. Chapter 9

"Do you realise it's been a year since we moved to Carrs Park?" Nathan said conversationally over his cereal, watching as Rachel patiently fed Ruby. "I mean, when we moved here Ruby was so little!" he grinned at his niece, poking his tongue out, and she mirrored him, the yoghurt Rachel had just spooned into her mouth sliding out.

"Nathan!" Rachel sighed in frustration and Nathan tried not to laugh. "Listen, I'm meant to be at Libby's in twenty minutes and I can't if you're sitting there distracting her!"

"You going swimming again?" Ben wanted to know, and she nodded.

"Ruby loves the water".

"I know, I was there at the beach, remember?"

The Rafter family had taken their annual trip to the beach, the memories hitting them hard and fast (they had missed the big beach house the summer before, with a newborn and the moving process trumping the white sand and clear water), and little Ruby had adored the water. She and Rachel spent most of their time on the beach, patting sandcastles and running through the whitewash water, venturing out a little deeper as the day warmed up.  
When they returned to Carrs Park, Libby had taken to inviting them to her house every day and more often than not Jake would turn up with Alex in tow. They would splash around in the pool while Libby's parents were at work, before baking in the sun while Ruby napped.

She honestly couldn't think of a better way to spend her days.

* * *

"Can't help but notice you've got a birthday coming up", Libby said cheerfully, as she lowered herself into the pool to join Rachel and Ruby and Jake. "Two days before school goes back! What are we doing?"

"Yeah, we're not doing anything. Mum's making a cake, and we're going about our everyday lives".

"We have to do something!" Jake protested. "You're turning sixteen! We all did something for our sixteenths!"

(Rachel was the youngest of the group, celebrating her birthday in late January, while the others had partied throughout the year before.)

"Jake-"

"No, no. it's alright", Libby intervened. "Don't worry about. We'll just ignore it!"

(The only thing she had wanted to do for her birthday was go to the RTA to get her learner's license. While Jake, Camel, George and Libby had all clocked a significant amount of hours in their log books and were all inching closer to their P plates, Rachel was left with the responsibility of a baby and public transport, or relying on her parents.)

Jake held his hands out to Ruby, who squealed excitedly and all but kicked her mother in the head at the prospect of swimming with her beloved friend.

(Libby, the oldest of four, had a variety of pool toys that they all loved, and Ruby's favourite was the blow up ring that she could sit in.)

"So we aren't doing anything?" Jake confirmed, and Rachel shook her head.

"Not this year".

* * *

By the time the twenty eighth rolled around (a Wednesday), Rachel had almost forgotten about their conversation that day in the pool. All she knew was that Ben and Nathan had volunteered to watch Ruby while her father took her to the RTA (she wasn't about to sit a test with a baby in the background), and that Julie was making a cake and her favourite dinner for the six of them to share with her grandparents.

"Hey birthday girl, go and get the door!" Ben said that afternoon from the floor, after he heard the knock for the second time. "What am I, your slave?"

Ruby laughed, like it was the funniest thing the boy could have ever said and Rachel glared at the two of them softly, before standing up and heading towards the door (she had been engrossed in the book she had unwrapped from Dave and Julie, knowing that she probably wouldn't get to the end of it before she turned seventeen). Standing up and moving down the hallway (knowing her grandparents weren't due to arrive before six); she opened it to find George, Camel, Jake and Libby at the door.

"Surprise!"

"Happy birthday!"

"You guys!" she laughed. "You shouldn't have!"

"You know Rach, that's exactly what I said!" Libby said in surprise, handing her a gift bag. "We should just ignore you birthday!"

Rachel laughed, hugging the four of them at the same time.

"Happy birthday Rach", Camel laughed, presenting her with something wrapped in pink.

Letting them in but leaving the front door unlocked (knowing her grandparents would come sooner rather than later), she brought them into the lounge room (where Ruby glanced up and came running).

"Hi!" the little girl said excitedly, throwing her arms around Libby.

"Hey guys!" Julie said cheerfully.

Rachel had written off her fifteenth birthday, and from then on, had decided that she wanted nothing to do with parties. But the small celebration that her friends put together was one to make her change her mind.

Spaghetti bolognese with her parents, grandparents and closest friends, with little Ruby helping to blow out the sixteen candles on her chocolate birthday cake. Ruby mashed her hand into the icing before pressing a sloppy kiss to her mother's face, wiping icing on her mouth.

There had been laughter and smiles and memories made, with plenty of photographs to jog those memories when they started to fade.

Rachel knew that it was a birthday she would never forget.


	10. Chapter 10

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* * *

"Starting day care today", Rachel said sadly, as she looked at her daughter. Ruby was strapped into her high chair as Dave patiently spooned a mix of porridge and banana into her mouth, a small smile on her face. "How are you getting so big so fast?"

"Now you know how Mum and I feel". Dave smiled at her and Rachel hugged her father's head, dropping a kiss to the top of it.

"I love you Dad".

"I love you too Rachel". He smiled at her, before Ruby smacked her hand down on the high chair tray, reaching out for the loaded spoon impatiently. "Hey, wait your turn, little one!" he laughed, as he fed her the porridge and banana mixture (one of her favourites).

That morning, Rachel had two bags to pack. Her backpack, with her lunch and school books and necessities, and Ruby's. A spare set of clothes and a hat, two of her bottles and a can of formula, along with all Ruby's important information.

"Rachel, are you getting ready?" Julie called from the other end of the house. "We've got to drop off Ruby and then you guys! Come on! Nathan, hurry up, you'll be late!"

"I'm coming!" Nathan protested. "Ben took too long in the bathroom!"

"Ben!"

"I did not!" Ben protested.

After dressing Ruby in her outfit for the day, Rachel swapped the tights and singlet she had slept in favour of the blue button down shirt and the senior skirt she had acquired weeks before.

"Come on, we've got to go", she called to Julie. "We've got to drop Ruby off before we go to school!"

(Julie had told her daughter that she was more than happy to drop them off first and then take Ruby to day care, but Rachel was adamant that she was not going to miss her daughter's first day of day care. Julie had agreed- knowing that she, as a mother, hadn't wanted to miss any of their first days of school- but had told her that, in order not to be late every morning, she would have to take her afterwards. Rachel had agreed with a nod, muttering something about 'wanting her license'.)

* * *

"Bye Ruby!" Rachel held her tight, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I love you. Kisses?"

Ruby smacked a sloppy kiss to her mother's mouth, wriggling as she spotted the new toys. Rachel set her to the ground and she took off, spying a little boy with a toy that she wanted.

"Bye!" she called and Ruby didn't even look back.

Grumbling a little, she set her daughter's bag in her cubby before heading back towards the front desk, where her mother, Ben and Nathan were waiting.

"She didn't even look at me!"

Ben chuckled at the look of disgust on his sister's face.

"I mean, she didn't even look at me!"

"What, did you want her to throw a screaming fit?" Nathan checked (he had to admit, he was glad his niece wasn't like some of the kids he had witnessed while waiting for his sister).

"No- but that's not the point! The point is that my daughter just toddled away with a STRANGER and didn't even look at me! Her own mother!"

"So basically she re-enacted your first day of preschool", Julie said with a grin, as she ushered the three towards the car. "Come on, you're going to be late! You can't be late on your first day of school!"

"She didn't even look at me!" Rachel shook her head sadly, before throwing one more look at the room. "That's just… I can't even…"

"Come on, Rach".

* * *

"No Rachel?" Camel said in surprise, as he glanced around. "I thought I was late!"

"She said she was coming last night!" Libby furrowed her brow in confusion. "Maybe something happened with Ruby".

"We'll leave her a seat, and when she gets here she can just get that one", George said, as they filed into the hall, taking the end few seats in the year eleven block.

As their principal started to speak, Jake turned around, to see Rachel quietly padding through the rows of seats to find her group, grinning and waving to her.

"Late on your first day back?" Jake laughed quietly, as Rachel scooted into the seat beside him. "What happened? That's so unlike you, Rafter! You were so organised!"

"Ruby's first day of day care", she explained quietly, setting her bag at her feet.

"Oh. How'd you handle that one?"

"We both handled it wonderfully. We went in, I met her teachers and Ruby toddled off to play without a look back". She sighed heavily, and Jake grinned. "I mean, she didn't even look at me!"

"Aw, Rach!"

"Hey, she went off with a little boy!" she smirked when she saw the grin slide right off his face. "That's right, Uncle Jake, you better fix that one!"

"Rachel Rafter and Jake Barton!" Mrs Morrell said quietly but sharply. "Kindly pay attention!"

"Sorry Mrs Morrell".

"Sorry Mrs Morrell".

The pair waited until she had walked away before resuming their conversation, Libby leaning over to question her friend.

"She didn't even look at you!"

Jake smirked, as Libby looked appropriately horrified.

"I know!"


	11. Chapter 11

Jake paced nervously up and down the hallway, much to the amusement of his mother and brother.

"Relax, Jake!" Grace laughed. "Rachel likes you. I'm sure she'll say yes".

"Yeah, and if not… well, that'll just be really awkward". Alex chuckled, from his seat on the lounge. "Is Rachel even coming over?"

"No, I'm going to her place. I said we could take Ruby to the park. She said that was fine, but only after Ruby has a nap".

Grace nodded, as Jake resumed his pacing. "Darling, you're going to wear out the hardwood".

Alex snickered again and Jake glared.

With Grace finishing off the work she hadn't completed through the week and the two boys watching a DVD, Jake waited impatiently for Rachel to tell him that Ruby was awake and they would meet him at the park.

And when his phone went off, Jake all but leapt off the lounge, barely even saying goodbye to his brother and mother.

* * *

"Hey Rach!" Jake called, as he saw the blonde pushing the stroller across the park.

She waved, as Ruby wrestled with her seatbelt restraints. The day she started walking was the day she started running, and the little girl didn't like to keep still. She was moving unless she was occupied by a story or her colouring books, and Rachel had her hands full with it all.

When they reached Jake, Rachel waited patiently until Ruby stopped wriggling, before undoing the buckle (knowing that if she tried to unbuckle her daughter whilst she wriggled she would not only be instilling bad habits, she was likely to be hit in the face). Kicking the brake on the stroller, Rachel watched as Ruby took off across the ground.

Chasing after her to make sure she wouldn't fall and hurt herself (she settled herself in the sand beside the swings), she made her way back to Jake, taking a seat beside him on the bench.

"Hey Rach", Jake said, as the two of them watched Ruby play.

"Yeah?" she said, glancing away from her daughter to look at him. "Hey, what's up? You look a little funny".

"I'm fine, I'm fine", he assured her. "I was just- I mean-"

"What's up?" she asked again.

"I was just wondering- do you want to catch a movie sometime?" he said quickly. "Just the two of us?"

She smiled. "Like a date?"

His face turned bright red, and he nodded.

Rachel smiled at him. "I would love that".

Jake let out a lungful of air, before turning his attention back to Ruby. The little girl, spying them watching her, waved eagerly, making both Rachel and Jake laugh.

* * *

"Hi Rachel, darling", Grace said cheerfully, as Rachel pushed the pram towards the front gate, Jake at her side. "Hi Ruby, you gorgeous girl!"

Ruby let out an excited squeal and a garble of sounds, reaching towards Grace. Struggling against the buckles of her stroller, she reached out urgently, and Jake laughed.

"Calm yourself", Rachel told her, before nodding at Jake to undo the buckles. Jake lifted the little girl out of the pram, before Ruby lunged towards Grace. She cuddled her tight, making Ruby giggle.

"Hi!" Alex said brightly, standing in the doorway.

Ruby waved excitedly, before wrapping her arms around Grace's neck once more.

Rachel just grinned, taking in the sight before her. For the first time since before Ruby was born, she was one hundred percent, truly happy.


	12. Chapter 12

"I promise, Jake isn't going to hurt me", Rachel said again, as she put another plate in the dishwasher. "It's one date, Dad".

She knew what he was thinking. She knew what they were all thinking (she'd seen the looks Ben and Nathan had exchanged when she brought up the topic of conversation). She knew they were all thinking of Daniel, when she had told them that it was just going to be one date. One date had turned into two, and then half a dozen. And then there was the night where Ruby was conceived, and she had sworn off boys.

"Rachel-"

"Darling, its Jake", Julie said gently. "We know Jake".

They had both seen how Jake had treated Rachel in the eighteen months it had been since they moved to Carrs Park. He'd become the best friend she had, along with Libby. Seeing him with Rachel, and in turn, with Ruby, had made them all smile. He had managed to weasel his way into both of their hearts, Ruby's grin growing every time he knocked on the front door.

"I know we know Jake, Jules, but-"

"Dad!" Rachel cried. "Look, I know what happened with Daniel… but it's not going to happen again. It's Jake".

"You're my girl, Rach", he said finally. "I don't want you to get hurt again".

"I'm not going to get hurt", she assured him.

Ruby was lying on Nathan's chest, only blinks away from sleep, and the boy leaned over to his brother. "That's what she said about Daniel".

Ben thumped him on the arm as hard as he knew how, making Nathan shriek and Ruby start, jumping in her uncle's arms. As she let out a whimper, Ben picked her up, holding her to his chest and rubbing her back gently.

"Come on, Rubes, bedtime", Rachel said quietly, as she picked her up from her brother's arms. Ruby settled her head against her mother's shoulder, as she carried her towards the cot.

Seeing the way his daughter interacted with his daughter made Dave's heart sing. Eighteen months earlier, Rachel could barely pick up newborn Ruby, feeling no connection to the little girl. Moving to Carrs Park and meeting Jake and her friends was what helped her, and slowly but surely, a bond between the mother daughter pair had grew. Now, he couldn't even imagine Rachel ignoring Ruby the way she had- if Ruby cried, Rachel was there in an instant.

Laying her down on the mattress, Rachel pulled the light pink blanket over her daughter, knowing that when she came back her blanket would be kicked aside and her little toes would be like ice blocks (every night, Rachel put a pair of socks on her tiny feet but every morning she would wake up without them). She pressed a kiss to her forehead, before closing the door quietly.

"Rach?" Dave said, when she came back down the hallway. "You can go".

She threw his arms around her father, and Dave kissed the top of her head. "Thanks, Dad".

"You're still my girl", he warned. "Even though you've got one of your own, you're still my girl. Jake can't take that away from me".

"I'll always be your girl", she promised, squeezing him even tighter. "Could you please look after Ruby on Saturday night? Or just keep an eye on her? I'll feed her and bath her and everything, but-"

"We'll look after Ruby", Julie laughed. "You can just go and have a good time with Jake".

* * *

There was a knock at the door and Rachel scurried around to find her other boot- which had mysteriously, thanks to her daughter's love of shoes, disappeared since she put them down half an hour earlier- before hopping towards it, tugging the boot on.

"Hey Rach!" Jake said brightly, as she swung it open.

"Hi!" leaning against the wall, she pulled the boot properly on, before inviting him in. "Want to come inside? Your mum and Alex are more than welcome to come in, too".

Jake padded back to the car to invite his mother and brother inside, as Rachel headed back into the house. Ruby was sitting in the corner of the lounge room, beside her dollhouse, a colouring book open and pencils strewn all over the floor.

"Ruby, Jake's here", she said gently, and Julie's smile grew as Ruby bounded across the room towards her mother. "Can you say goodbye to Mummy? Mummy's going to go out tonight with Jake. You're going to stay here with Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Nathan and Uncle Ben and Uncle Carbo".

Ruby waved her greetings to Jake, Grace and Alex, before wrapping her arms around her mother's neck, smacking a sloppy, open mouthed kiss to her lips. "Bye Mummy", she said cheerfully, and Rachel beamed.

Jake knelt down beside Rachel, and Ruby threw her arms around his neck, squeezing him tight.

"She loves him!" Ben chuckled.

After giving Ruby another ten minutes of their attention, Rachel glanced at the clock. "I really hate to say it, but I think we better get going".

Jake nodded. "Yeah, come on, Mum".

Rachel kissed her daughter again, before passing her to Dave. "Be good for Grandma and Grandpa, Rubes", she said cheerfully. "Please make sure she's got socks on before she goes to bed, her feet get cold. Bye!"

"Have fun, Rach", Ben said from the floor, where he too had been colouring in with Ruby (the boy found it oddly theraputic, much to the amusement of his family. His niece, on the other hand, loved it).

Ruby waved from her place in Dave's arms, resting her head on his shoulder. "Bye Mummy!"

* * *

"Thank you for tonight, Jake", Rachel said with a smile, as she picked up her spoon. After dinner and then a movie, the pair had made their way into a small café that they both loved for hot chocolate, to wait for Grace.

"You're more than welcome". Jake grinned at her, licking a spoonful of hot chocolate froth.

By the end of the night, the pair had shared their first kiss, and Rachel felt like she could fly.

Falling onto her bed, she let out a contented sigh, feeling, for the first time in two and a half years, that things were actually right.


	13. Chapter 13

"You look off today, Rach", Libby said, as the girl trudged towards her, yawning.

"I'm just really tired", she admitted. "I was up late studying for the history test today, and then Ruby woke up. She was just really unsettled last night".

"She's not getting sick, is she?" Libby asked worriedly, putting an arm around Rachel.

"I hope not. If not, the day care will call me". She yawned, resting her head on Libby's shoulder.

"Hey Rach!" Jake loped towards them, putting an arm around her waist. "Hey, what's up?"

"She thinks Ruby's getting sick", Libby supplied, as Rachel yawned again.

Jake's eyebrows furrowed. "Want Mum to go and get her from day care? Mum loves her, she won't mind. She's got the day off today".

"No, it's too much trouble". She blushed slightly, all the while knowing that Grace would love caring for the little girl. "It's alright, she's tough. She'll be fine".

Jake pressed a kiss to the side of her head, making her smile.

"She's tough, like her mum".

* * *

Rachel didn't know how she had managed to get away with being a sixteen year old mother in a town as small as Carrs Park, for as long as she had. Obviously there were certain people who knew, but as far as most people were concerned, she was the older sister of little Ruby.

But, upon getting that phone call in the middle of her English class, she knew that the secret was out.

"Hello, Rachel?" the voice on the other end said. "This is Lauren, from Carrs Park Long Childcare Centre. Ruby's running a high temperature and is-"

"I'll be there as soon as I can", she said quickly, without even bothering to get all the information. Hanging up, she shoved her phone into her shirt pocket before rushing back into the classroom to gather her things.

"Miss Rafter", their teacher said sternly, before seeing the panicked look on her face. "Rachel, is everything okay?"

"I'm sorry, I've got to go", she said hurriedly.

"Is it Ruby?" Libby wanted to know, her eyes filled with worry.

Rachel just nodded, before fleeing the classroom.

"Who's Ruby?" Tasha McNeil, the girl who had taunted Libby since preschool, wanted to know.

Libby just ignored her, going back to reading her book and worrying over her best friend and niece.

She made it to the day care centre in less than ten minutes, barging through the doors red faced and panting. She was met by Lauren, a whimpering Ruby in her arms. Holding out her arms, Rachel held the little girl against her chest, murmuring.

"Oh baby girl, I'm sorry", she whispered, holding her tight. "I knew you weren't feeling well this morning, I should have taken the day off. Oh, baby".

Ruby, mumbling incoherent things, just wrapped her arms around her mother's neck, relishing in the comfort the older girl provided.

"Has she had anything to eat or drink today?" Rachel wanted to know, shifting her daughter slightly so she could sling Ruby's bag over her shoulder.

"She wouldn't eat anything, and she only drank half a bottle", Lauren told her, and Rachel nodded, taking it all in. "and we can't administer any pain relief without parental consent, so we haven't given her anything".

Rachel nodded again, making a mental note to stop at the chemist on the walk home to pick up another bottle of children's Nurofen.

After a few more minutes of talking to her carers, Rachel shifted Ruby in her arms, before bidding them goodbye.

"I hope she feels better, Rachel", Lauren said sincerely.

"Thanks, Lauren". Rachel gave her a smile, as she felt Ruby's forehead.

* * *

By the end of the day, she knew everyone knew. The word had gotten out that Rachel Rafter, a sixteen year old year eleven student, had left her English class to collect her sick daughter from day care. Word had gotten around that, in their opinion, Rachel Rafter was a teenage slut who had gotten pregnant at fourteen.

She knew she should have been used to it by that time, but really, was anyone ever used to it? The judging, the stares. The dirty looks as she pushed the pram down the street.

"You never get used to it", Rachel decided out loud, as she stroked Ruby's honey coloured hair back, holding her copy of Othello above her head. The little girl was fast asleep, pressed to her mother's chest, as the Nurofen worked its magic throughout her tiny little system.

When Ben and Nathan came home, she heard all about it. The rumours that had started, and how Jake, Libby, Camel and George all defended her. How, along with Carbo, had defended her. How they tried to tell them that their sister and friend was not a teenage slut suffering the consequences of her own mistakes.

By the time Nathan and Ben had finished telling her their version of the story, the front door was almost broken down by Libby and the boys, demanding to know whether or not little Ruby was okay.

"She's got an ear infection and the flu", Rachel told them, after shifting Ruby from her bed into the cot. "I should have stayed home this morning-"

"It was Tasha McNeil, that bitch", Libby seethed, and George patted her arm comfortingly. "It was her that started those rumours, Rach".

"It's alright", she said, finally getting her word in.

Ben and Nathan just stared at her.

"I don't think this is alright, Rach!" Nathan said passionately. "I mean, you're our sister!"

"I know, Nathan, and I appreciate you all sticking up for me, I really, really do, but I don't care anymore. I'm going to be judged for the rest of my life for having a kid at fourteen, and I don't even care. You know why?"

They continued to stare, as Rachel herded them towards her bedroom. Ruby was curled up in a ball; her blanket tossed aside, one arm around her beloved rag doll.

"Because of her. She's perfect, and if they can't see that, then they need their heads read". Rachel brushed her hand over Ruby's forehead, feeling the significant drop in temperature.

"I'm so proud of you", Julie said from the doorway, her eyes full of tears, as she threw her arms around her daughter. "I love you", she whispered into her ear, and Rachel beamed, hugging her mother tight.

"I love you more", she whispered back.


	14. Chapter 14

"So, what are we doing for the little miss's birthday tomorrow?" Libby wanted to know, as she unwrapped her sandwich. "Who wants to swap, I've got Vegemite again".

Rachel held out her own peanut butter sandwich. "Peanut butter, its Ruby's current favourite. I'll swap".

"we're obviously bringing he presents around", George said, and Jake nodded enthusiastically.

"Mum and Alex have got her things too, they aren't missing this".

"We're making cake-"

"We?" Camel's eyes widened. "When you say 'we' I really hope you mean your mum".

Rachel glared. "I mean, I know I've had a few kitchen mishaps-"

"Rachel, you almost burnt down your house last weekend!"

"I can cook!"

"Spreading peanut butter over bread is not cooking".

"I can cook!" she protested.

"Offering gum is also not cooking". Jake grinned and she jabbed him in the side with her elbow.

"Mum's making the cake", she grumbled.

"What time do you want us to come over?"

"After her morning sleep", she decided. "Lunchtime?"

"Cool".

* * *

There was a hammering of knocks at the front door and Rachel jumped towards it, her daughter not even looking up from her presents. Swinging the door open to reveal her group of friends, Libby wordlessly pointed to the tiny pink bike standing beside George, all but shaking with excitement.

"You guys got her a bike?" Rachel almost squeaked, throwing her arms around Jake and Libby at the Sam time.

George nodded cheerfully. "Camel, Jake and I put it together".

"What did you do?" Jake turned to him.

"I supervised with Libby as Camel and Jake put it together".

"Good work, George". Libby grinned at him, as Jake lifted the bike out of the boot of the car. "Where is the munchkin, anyway?"

"She's inside; playing with the toys the boys got her". She moved towards the front door, motioning for them to follow her. "Hey Ruby, come and see what Aunty Libby and the boys got you!"

"What?" Ruby came running towards the door, a grin on her face.

"Hey birthday girl!" Jake said warmly, kneeling down to greet her.

"Look what we got you!" Libby presented the bike to the little girl and her eyes grew so wide Rachel wouldn't have been surprised if they rolled out of her head.

"Bike!" she screamed excitedly.

"It's a bike!" George enthused.

"Come here, Rubes", Camel said, as he held out his arms. Lifting Ruby onto the bike, he waited for Libby to plop the Disney princess helmet onto her head ("It's a special hat, Ruby, you've got to wear it when you ride your bike", Rachel warned her. Ruby had nodded earnestly, patting her head. "Hat".), before pushing her onto the path. She squealed excitedly, as she gripped the handlebars tightly.

"You got her a bike!" Dave laughed, as Camel steered the bike around to push her back towards the house.

"Bike, Gampa!" she said excitedly.

For the rest of the day, they took turns pushing Ruby up and down the footpath in front of the Rafter and Karandonis houses, until the little girl got bored and dragged them inside to inspect her new toys. They coloured with crayons on the floor of the lounge room (Jake too finding it oddly therapeutic, making Rachel giggle) and rearranged the dollhouse, before they all sat down to Julie's famous spaghetti bolognese.

"Time for cake!" Louise called, bringing the teddy bear shaped chocolate cake to the table.

"Thanks, Mum", Julie smiled, as she unwrapped a candle shaped like the number two.

"Thanks Mum, thanks Nan". Rachel grinned as Ruby's eyes lit up, the flame on top of the candle flickering.

"Happy birthday to you!" Ben and Carbo started, motioning for the rest of the family to join in. "happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Ruby, happy birthday to you!"

With a puff, Ruby blew out the single candle, to cheers from her uncles.

* * *

By six thirty, Ruby was well and truly worn out from her birthday celebrations, and was quite content to sit with her head on her mother's chest, listening to the conversations around her. She had been bathed and dressed in clean pyjamas (a present from her great grandparents), and was only moments away from sleep.

"I think it's time we head home", George said, as the blinks Ruby took became longer and longer.

"Okay". Rachel stood up with Ruby on her hip, wrapping her free arm around Libby. "Thank you for coming, guys! We had a great time, didn't we Rubes?"

"Yeah", she said quietly.

"Can you say 'thanks for coming'?" Rachel checked, and Ruby nodded.

"Tank oo", she said with a small smile. "Tank oo Yakey!"

Jake just laughed, ruffling her still damp hair. "You're welcome, Ruby! Can we come over and play again?"

"Yeah!"

Laughing, Rachel saw her friends to the front gate, Ruby waving sleepily, before heading into her room. Knowing that it would only take a few minutes for Ruby to crash completely, the pair settled on Rachel's bed, the little girl leaning against her mother.

She opened a blank birthday card in the shape of a crown, before uncapping her pen, rubbing Ruby's back gently as her daughter's breathing deepened.

_Ruby Louise, _

_You turn 2 today. I have this overwhelming feeling of pride and accomplishment. Two years ago at 7:42 in the morning I saw you for the first time, and I had never seen anything more beautiful. Even though we didn't have the easiest start, you are the most important person in my life. Without a doubt. You're the first one I think of when I wake up, and the last one I think of before I go to sleep. Y_

_ou'll never fully understand this feeling, not until you're all grown up with kids of your own. You helped me grow and discover who I was. You strengthened me and softened me and made me a mother. I've been blessed with the opportunity of a lifetime, and I wouldn't change it for anything. I have a world of judgement on me right now, and I probably always will, but I will always protect you from the cruelties that life will throw at us. I can't even put into words what you are to me and to those that absolutely love and adore you. _

_Ruby, you make me rise when I'm falling, at every low point I have you. You have no understanding of it right now, but you make things okay. In just two short years you've grown so much that it makes me sad. Sad that I can't rewind and replay all those moments. When you first smiled, learnt to crawl, learned to stand and took your first steps. When you learnt to clap and learnt to wave and learned to say 'mummy'. It's all in the past. I feel like I can't take enough pictures or videos of you, to capture your cheeky personality and the amazingness that you are. But know that I love you so much, more than absolutely anything in this entire world. _

_You are first and you are it for me, and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life standing behind you, watching you run and grow and become this beautiful young lady that I know you will be. I hope that in sixteen years when you're no longer my little baby that I've done enough, and I've done it right. _

_Two whole years, baby girl. We've made it two whole years. _

_Love always, _

_Mummy _

"Happy second birthday, baby girl", Rachel whispered, as she lifted her sleeping daughter into the cot.


	15. Chapter 15

"Yakey!"

Ruby's shrill shriek of excitement rang through the house, as she took off towards the front door.

"Hey girly!" Jake laughed, as Ruby threw her arms around his legs. "Hey!" he swung her into the air, squeezing her tight and making her squeal.

"Hi!" Ruby laughed.

Rachel appeared in the hallway, her hair tossed up in a messy ponytail and wearing a pair of tights that were fraying at the knees. "Come in, the place is a mess, I'm a mess and that kid's embracing the terrible twos like there's no tomorrow".

"Good use of alliteration there Rach". He grinned, holding up his English workbook- the entire reason he had come over that day.

"Don't even talk to me about alliteration right now". She stared at her daughter, poking her tummy. "You were in the naughty corner for smacking Uncle Nathan in the head with a fork; did Mummy say you could come out?"

"No!" Ruby giggled, resting her head on Jake's shoulder.

With one arm, Rachel swung her back into the corner, turning her to face the wall. "Just because Jake's here doesn't mean you don't listen to Mummy".

"She's been two for a week", Jake laughed.

"She learns quickly", Nathan said from the other end of the lounge, glaring at his niece. "She nearly poked out my eye!"

"Yeah, she's naughty".

"But she's so damn cute!" Ben said quietly, grinning. "How can you be mad at her?"

"Don't you start, you spoil her", Rachel accused. "You spoil her and then when I say no I'm the bad guy. I don't like that, don't do things like that".

After Ruby's two minutes in the naughty corner was up and she had apologised to Nathan ("sorry Unca Nafan"), she was allowed to go and play (choosing the dollhouse and Ben as her playmate), and Rachel and Jake settled themselves at the kitchen table, their English homework spread out in front of them.

"You know, I've thought about moving out", Rachel admitted, "But I don't think I could handle the HSC and a kid, not on my own".

"You're doing a pretty good job so far", Jake said to her, squeezing her hand under the table.

The Rachel he had first met was struggling with day to day life, without him knowing about Ruby. She was shy and insecure and withdrawn, and had taken a long time to come out of her shell. The Rachel he was dating was confident and outspoken and was more than capable of handling her final exams and her two year old.

"I'm moving out, for uni", she admitted. "Mum and Dad don't know yet, I haven't plucked up the courage to tell them".

He knew that she was aiming for the University of Sydney. She had her mind set on a design course in the city, and nothing was going to stop her from getting there. He had his heart set on an apprenticeship. He was going to be a tradie; he was going to be an electrician. He'd already decided it.

"They're supportive, Rach", he assured her. "They'll support you in whatever you do".

Rachel grinned. "I know they will, they always have. What other parents accept the fact that their fourteen year old got knocked up?" she almost giggled. "No, it's going to be hard but I'm going to do it".

"I know you will". And he squeezed her hand just a little tighter, making her smile.


	16. Chapter 16

"We can't not do something for your birthday, Rachel!" Camel argued, as he tossed Ruby into the air.

"Apparently this is going to be a yearly discussion", George said, laughing when Ruby landed in the pool with a splash. "We had this argument last year, Rafter, let us celebrate! We love celebrations!"

"We're gonna par-tay like it's your birthday!" Libby laughed, setting down her drink. "Come on, we'll bring round fish and chips and presents and have cake with your fam. We can come swimming and have cake with my fam! You know what, let's just do cake".

Rachel sighed heavily, admitting defeat. "You're more than welcome to come over- after twelve, though. I'm busy in the morning".

"What's happening in the morning?" Camel questioned.

"I've got a family thing on", Rachel lied.

She didn't have a family thing. On the morning of her seventeenth birthday, Rachel was attempting her driving test, to achieve her provisional licence. Libby, Camel, Jake and George all had their Ps, but being the youngest in her mishmash group of friends, Rachel hadn't quite got there.

* * *

"Rach, did you pass?" Ben called eagerly, as his sister cam through the door, a sombre look on her face. "Oh… you didn't pass".

Rachel broke into a grin, holding the red and white plates out in front of her. "I got my Ps!"

Nathan let out a whoop. "Let's go for a drive!"

Rachel laughed (because that was coming from the boy who absolutely refused to get into the car with his older sister when she first learned to drive, for the fear of never returning), before turning to her mother. "Mum, can I please borrow the car?"

"Shotgun!" Ben bellowed, cutting Nathan off.

"Ben that's so unfair-"

"It's called the pecking order, Nathan. I'm the oldest!"

"Second oldest", Julie corrected, before cautiously holding out the keys to Rachel. "Where are you going? When are you going to be home?"

"We're going to get ice cream".

"It's ten o'clock!"

"It's summer!" Ben protested. Lifting Ruby to his hip, he turned to his mother. "You don't want to deny your granddaughter an icy cold treat on a hot summer's day, do you?"

Julie sighed; dropping the keys into her daughter's waiting hand. "Drive very, very, very carefully", she warned. "Boys, don't distract your sister, she's got to keep her eyes on the road at all times. And no music".

"Drive safely, princess". Dave wrapped her in a hug, kissing the top of her head. "I'm proud of you".

Rachel beamed, before leading the procession out the front door, towards Julie's car.

As Nathan strapped Ruby into her car seat, Ben jumped into the passenger seat, as Rachel slapped the P plates on the front and back of the car.

"Got your licence, well done Rach!" Ben laughed evilly, as he reached for the radio.

"Don't touch, Mum said don't touch!" Nathan reached from the backseat to smack his brother's hand away.

"Shut up guys", Rachel reprimanded, sticking the key into the ignition.

With her eyes on the rear view mirror, she reversed out of the driveway, before giving Ben permission to turn on the radio. And the three Rafter siblings and Ruby sang cheerfully along to the radio (Rachel finding it absolutely hysterical how Ruby knew the words to songs such as 'Summer of 69', in her own toddler way) all the way to the ice cream shop.

* * *

"SHE PASSED!"

She heard Libby well before she saw her, as she opened the front door to her friends. Libby enveloped her in a hug, as Camel and George held out presents to her.

"You got your licence!" Libby laughed.

"You passed!" Jake said, wrapping his arms around her and squeezing her tight. "Happy birthday baby", he whispered into her ear, and she grinned from ear to ear.

They spent the afternoon lazing around in the backyard, Ruby relishing in the attention she was getting from everyone (her great grandparents, who had made an appearance for her mother's birthday, exclaiming about exactly how big she had gotten) and running around in the hose Ben was holding. They laughed and joked and made memories that they would look back on in the years to come.

Rachel Rafter's seventeenth birthday wasn't what other girls her age had. She didn't have the big party, with people getting absolutely hammered and waking up with a killer hangover. She didn't go out to a restaurant with her entire family and ring up a thousand dollar bill.

She had her three closest friends, her boyfriend, her grandparents, her parents, her brothers, the neighbours (the Karandonis clan were always the life of the party) and her daughter. She had her licence. She had barbecued sausages and lamb chops in her tummy. She had a rich, chocolate cake with seventeen candles on top.

But most of all, she had control. She had the control of her life that she never thought she'd get back.

And from that moment, she knew that no matter what life threw at her, everything was going to work out in the end.


	17. Chapter 17

"Hello?" Rachel said, picking up the phone with one hand and Ruby's sandals with the other hand.

"Hey Rach!" Jake said cheerfully. "Are you doing anything on Saturday?"

"Hanging with Rubes. Want to hang with us?"

"Want Mum to watch her? I've got something planned and she's more than happy to".

Rachel grinned. "Nah, Mum and Dad can look after her. Why, where are we going?"

"It's a surprise. So, Saturday?"

"I guess?" she said uncertainly. "Where are we going, Jake?"

"Oh, we're just going out". He grinned, tapping his foot excitedly on his end of the phone. "Just keep Saturday free, alright? It's a date!"

"It's a date", Rachel echoed, before bidding him farewell. "What the hell has he got planned this time?"

* * *

"Mum, you're still okay to keep an eye on Ruby on the weekend, aren't you?" Rachel said, as her mother knocked on the door to her bedroom. "Jake and I are going out, but if you can't watch Ruby Grace said she's more than happy to. She's not working this weekend".

"That's fine, darling, you know that", Julie said, as she opened her daughter's drawer to place in a bundle of socks.

"I don't know, Mum", Rachel said honestly, closing her textbook and sighing heavily.

"Rach…" she let her voice trail off, sitting down on the bed. "You are being careful, aren't you? You and Jake?"

"What?" Rachel's eyes widened when she realised what her mother was implying. "Mum!"

"What?" Julie defended herself.

"Jake and I are not having sex", she blushed furiously. "Jake and I haven't had sex".

Julie visibly relaxed, putting a hand on her daughter's knee comfortingly.

"I'm not", Rachel said, more to convince herself than her mother. Julie pressed a kiss to her daughter's forehead, before patting her knee once again.

"I love you, Rachel'.

"Love you too", she said absently.

It was an unspoken topic, between the two. He knew that after what had happened with Daniel, she was cautious- she had been wary to kiss him. But she knew that Jake was not Daniel, and that Jake would not force her into anything she didn't want to do.

* * *

"Jake, where are we going?" Rachel wanted to know, as he shifted the gearstick. Siting in the passenger seat of Grace's car with a tea towel wrapped around her eyes was not the way she envisioned her Saturday afternoon.

"It's alright, you'll see when we get there!" he laughed, and she frowned.

"You're so frustrating!"

"You're as impatient as your daughter".

"Where did you think she got it from?" she shot back, her hand sneaking over to change the radio station.

"Don't touch the radio". He didn't even blink.

"I can't believe you blindfolded me".

"I didn't want you to know where we're going!" he protested, chuckling a little at the sight. Sitting there with her arm folded across her chest and a tea towel wrapped around her head, Rachel Rafter and little Ruby looked more alike than ever. "You know what Rach?"

"What?"

"You could park a car on that pout".

* * *

"Jake, where are we?" Rachel wanted to know, as he led her towards a gate, having decided asking her to go up steps with a blindfold on could endanger the girl. "What the hell is this?"

"Rach", he said gently, pushing the door open.

"Jake!"

"It's alright, it's legal!" he assured her. "I've spoken to the owners- Rach, if you want, this could be ours".

Her eyes grew so large Jake worried that her eyes would actually roll out of her head. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"You want to get into U Syd", he said slowly, as he led her through the hallway. "U Syd is less than a ten minute walk from here. There are preschools all over the place; you can scope one out that's good enough for the munchkin. I've applied for apprenticeships throughout the area, and the train station is five minutes away".

"You want to live together?" Rachel whispered, as tears gathered in her eyes.

"I really would. I want us to stay together, Rach".

She threw her arms around him, burying her head in his neck, tears soaking into his shirt. "You're amazing. You're so amazing. What did I do to get a guy like you?" she squeezed him tight and Jake dropped a kiss to the top of her head, rubbing her back gently.

"I love you Rachel Rafter".

"I love you, Jake Barton".


	18. Chapter 18

"We made it", Libby said excitedly to Rachel, as the blonde approached her, having pulled on her black and blue graduation gown. "Ready for today?"

"This isn't the end", Rachel reminded her. "We've still got the formal tomorrow night and then the HSC, so this isn't goodbye".

"It's almost goodbye", Camel said. "Where's Jake?"

"He's still getting his gown".

"Ruby's not in day care today, is she?" George wanted to know. "Where is the munchkin?"

"Mum and Dad have her, Ben and Nathan are getting the day off to see us", she explained. "Rubes gets the day off to see Mummy graduate".

Rachel hadn't been able to wipe the smile off her face, as she had pulled the blue and black graduation gown on. Three year earlier, she didn't think she'd make it through the year, let alone to graduation.

Instead of the broken girl she had been, she was a confident almost eighteen year old, with a beautiful three year old daughter and a boyfriend who she adored. She'd been through the lowest of lows and the highest of highs, a whirlwind ride that she wished she hadn't experienced, but didn't regret in the slightest.

"Wish munchkin was sitting with us", Libby said, almost sadly.

"Lib, she's got the attention span of a gnat!" Rachel laughed. "Did you learn nothing when you watched _The Little Mermaid_ with her last weekend?"

Libby had been determined to turn the little girl into a Disney princess movie buff, and had succeeded. A day didn't go by where Ruby didn't question her mother if she could watch _Cinderella_ or _Snow White and the Seven Dwarves_ or _The Little Mermaid_. But as much as she loved her Disney movies, little Ruby's attention span was not the greatest and she often wandered off to colour in or play with her blocks or simply went to investigate what else was happening in the house.

"Yeah, she's not very good with the whole 'paying attention' thing". Libby laughed. "She's still freaking adorable, though".

"That, she is". Camel nodded enthusiastically, coming towards them with Jake in tow. "Check out the gowns!"

"George, why is yours so big?" Jake wanted to know, and the boy shrugged, the black material slipping from his shoulders.

"I don't know".

Rachel just laughed, relishing in the last few moments in Carrs Park High School. The place where she was convinced her life was going to fall apart yet again, and the place where her life had been pieced together. Where she had made the memories she was going to look back on when she was old and treasure, where she had made friendships she would treasure even longer.

"Are you ready?" Libby wanted to know, taking George's hand in her own.

"I don't think so", Rachel said honestly and Jake draped an arm around her, smacking a noisy kiss to the side of her face.

"We're ready, Rach".

* * *

"I'd now like to call upon Miss Rachel Rafter, to deliver the farewell speech on behalf of the graduating class", their principal announced and Rachel stood up from her seat, moving towards the stage and praying she wouldn't trip (because Tasha McNeil would love that, she thought).

Stepping up to the podium, she glanced around the hall, focusing on her group of friends and smiling.

"After thirteen long years, here we are", Rachel said clearly, moving the microphone a little closer to her mouth. "Thirteen years of schooling, and it all boils down to this day. Graduation. It doesn't matter where we came from, which schools we previously attended, together; we are a part of Carrs Park High School".

"Dat's my mummy!" Ruby said in awe, from her spot on Ben's lap.

"It is", Ben agreed quietly, squeezing his niece tight.

"Together, sitting in this hall, is possibly the last time we will ever be completely together as a cohort", Rachel voiced. "Image, the people you see every day, the people you would least expect not to see tomorrow, in a year. University, Tafe, the workforce… it will all come, and with that will come new friends and new experiences. The people you see in the halls, the people you share classes with, your best friends, might disappear from your life, each going their own ways. You might see them every few years at a reunion, if that, but these are the people you've grown up with. It doesn't matter about the petty arguments or fights that took place, because we've grown up and almost moved on".

"Enjoy today, and enjoy tomorrow. Be thankful for what you have and for most of all, who you have, because life's plans may bring you away from these people. But no matter what anyone says, and no matter what time doe, in our hearts we will always be a part of Carrs Park's graduating class".

"Graduating day is where we wear our gowns with pride, celebrating thirteen years of schooling coming to an end. It's the moment where we are grown up, where we take a break and have our own adventures, before something brings us all together again".

"I'd like to say good luck and best wishes to everyone within the four walls of this hall", Rachel said, looking around at everyone she had gotten to know. "Best wishes of the future and whatever tomorrow will bring, as we start our adventures apart from each other. But no matter what happens, no matter what occurs in our lives, we will always be Carrs Park High School's graduating class. Thank you".

Rachel stepped down amidst cheers from her friends and their parents, before taking her seat.

"Well done, Rafter", Camel said with a grin, leaning over Libby.

"Thanks, Camel". She punched him gently on the arm and he laughed.

"We'd now like to begin presenting the year twelve certificates", their principal sad. "Abigail Anders".

"You're up first", George said to Jake, and he nodded.

"Jake Barton".

Jake stepped towards the stage, a grin on his face, smiling out at the audience. Ruby bounced up and down in Ben's lap, waving hysterically.

"It's Jakey!" she said excitedly, and Grace laughed, snapping a photo of her son.

"It sure is, darling".

Jake beamed as he saw little Ruby wave. Once his official graduation photo was taken, he waved back, to her delight.

"He sees me Uncle Ben!" she whispered loudly, making both Alex and Nathan chuckle.

"He does", Ben agreed. "Shhh, we're not finished yet. We've got to wait for Mummy's turn".

After what seemed like three hours, they reached the Rs in the alphabet, and Dave and Julie smiled proudly, as they saw their daughter.

"Rachel Rafter", Mrs Smith announced and Rachel stepped towards the stage again, a beaming smile stretched across her face. Ruby jumped from Ben's arms (despite the boy's attempts to restrain his squirming niece) and took off towards the stage. Jake and Libby laughed hysterically from their seats, as Ruby bounced up the stairs to grab onto her mother.

"Dat's my mummy!" she said proudly to Mrs Smith, as Rachel lifted her onto her hip. The pair beamed for the camera, as Rachel laughed and cradled both her daughter and her diploma.

Stepping down from the stage, Rachel didn't send the little girl back towards her parents, instead choosing to sit with Ruby in her lap. The little girl snuggled into her embrace, flipping through the folder in her mother's arms, before the final name (Nicola Zammit) was called.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it's my great pleasure to introduce to you the graduating class of Carrs Park High School!" Mrs Smith grinned, and the whole crowd cheered, as the students stood up from their chairs and excited the hall for the last time as year twelve students.

"We did it!" Libby whooped, as she grabbed onto both Camel and George's arms, pulling them closer. "We finally did it!"

"We made it", Rachel said with a grin, shifting Ruby to her other hip.

"We made it, munchkin!" Jake said to the little girl and she just grinned, resting her head on her mother's shoulders. "You little runaway!"

"I hadta see Mummy", she said in explanation.

"Jeez Jake", George chuckled, "Why didn't you think of that?"

"We made it", Libby said again, draping her arms around both George and Rachel. "We finally made it!"


	19. Chapter 19

There was a knock at the door and Dave opened it, grinning when he saw Jake in a suit, Grace and Alex behind him. "Hey, she's almost ready. Come on it". Stepping aside to let the Barton family inside, he grinned as his granddaughter spotted Jake.

"Hi Jake!" she waved from the pile of crayons she was lying in, colouring in seriously.

"Hey Rubes!"

"Rach, Jake's here!" Ben called.

"Coming!"

"Are you going to be my date for the formal, Ruby?" Jake wanted to know, as he took a seat on the lounge. Ruby nodded seriously, hoisting herself up to sit beside him.

"Yeah".

He laughed, tugging gently on one of her pigtails. "I wish, kiddo".

"Mummy is".

"I know, Mummy is, isn't she? Does she look pretty, Rubes?"

Ruby nodded, reaching for her bear. "Yeah".

"Like a princess?" he wanted to know.

"Like Cind-rella". She beamed up at him, wrapping his arms around his waist. He laughed, plopping a kiss to the top of her head.

"Hey Jake", Rachel said quietly, standing in the doorway.

His eyes widened, as he stood up. "Wow", he almost gasped, and Ruby bounced across the room to her mother.

"Mummy!"

Rachel braced herself for the impact, as Ruby threw her arms around her legs. "You look like a princess", she pronounced, and Rachel felt her heart melt a little.

"Thanks baby". Kneeling down slightly, she pressed a kiss to the top of Ruby's head.

"You look stunning", Jake managed to get out, before Ruby ran at him and threw her arms around her.

"Thanks, Jake- you scrub up pretty good, too".

"What time is everyone else getting here?" Nathan wanted to know, wandering out with the camera. "Who got the car, anyway?"

"Camel's mate got us a car", Jake reminded him, as Nathan snapped the first of many photos of the couple for the night.

After ten minutes of posing for photos for Julie, Grace and Nathan (Ruby milking every camera with everything she had), there was a knock at the door, and Camel, George and Libby appeared.

"Hey Ruby!" Libby greeted. "I love your dress".

"Pretty, Aunty Libby!" she declared, hugging her mother's best friend.

"Let's get this show on the road!" Camel pointed. "Our parents are already on the way, Mr Rafter, are you guys following our car?"

Dave nodded. "Boys, get in the car".

Ben grabbed Ruby by the hand, leading her out to the car. "Come on, Carbo!"

"Mrs Barton, can I ride in your car?" Nathan wanted to know, shooting a glare at his brother.

"Yes!" Alex said eagerly.

* * *

While the rest of her year got group photos with their respective partners, all Rachel wanted was photos of her friends. Libby, dressed to the nines in a purple gown, with Jake, Camel and George (Jake and George wearing ties to match the girls' dresses, Camel opting for a neutral blue). The five friends posed and laughed and relished in their graduation glory, while Ruby danced around their feet in her little pink dress.

"Mummy daughter photo", Libby insisted, and Rachel complied, lifting Ruby onto her hip with ease.

"Smile babe", she said to the little girl, and Ruby gave Libby and her camera the cheesiest smile she could muster. The two Rafter girls pressed their faces up against each other, laughing as Ben and Nathan pulled faces at them.

"Kisses for Mummy?" Rachel wanted to know, and Grace pressed down on the shutter just as Ruby's lips met her own. Laughing, Rachel squeezed her tight. "I love you baby girl".

"Love you Mummy". Ruby rested her head on her mother's shoulder, her thumb working its way into her mouth.

"Now a family photo", Libby's mother instructed. As Julie, Dave, Ben and Nathan joined them for a photo, Grace prepped Alex and Jake for their turn.

Libby lifted Ruby into her own arms, ticking her tummy gently.

"Kisses for Aunty Libby, Rubes?" Jake wanted to know.

Ruby smacked a kiss to Libby's lips, laughing as she wrapped her arms around her.

"Can't she stay?" Libby laughed to Rachel, and Rachel shook her head.

"Nope, tonight's our night! Munchkin's staying home with her uncles".

They spent half an hour outside the hall their formal would be held in, posing for photos and laughing and soaking up in the memories they had made. But before they knew it, their teachers were herding them inside encouraging the parents to leave.

"Say bye to Mummy!" Julie encouraged, as Dave held their granddaughter to his hip.

"Bye! Bye bye Mummy!" Ruby waved, and Rachel beamed.

"See you guys when I get home!" she called. "She better be asleep!"

"Please, she's always asleep", Nathan scoffed, before squeezing the two year old's foot. "She's a good girl".

"funny, you weren't saying that this morning", Rachel laughed (while Julie had taken to doing her hair and makeup, Nathan was in charge of watching Ruby, the boy getting more and more frustrated with his niece).

"She's a good girl", Jake said with a smile, running his fingers through Ruby's hair.

"And she's got you wrapped around her little finger", Rachel grinned at him, as his arm snaked around her waist. "Be good, Rubes! Love you!" blowing a kiss to her daughter, she turned to move towards the hall with the rest of her friends.

"Say 'have fun Mummy and Jake'', Alex whispered to her.

"Hab fun Mummy!" Ruby bellowed after them. "Hab fun Jake!"

Laughter rang out, as they made their way into the hall.

"She's so cute", George chuckled.

"Of course she is", Rachel said proudly. "She's my baby!"

"She's my niece!" Libby grinned. "And I will call her that until the day I die".

Taking their seats at their table (after Libby's persuasive, twenty minute long speech to their year advisor, the five had gotten a table by themselves. "Lib, you should be a lawyer".), they glanced around the room.

"After the HSC we'll probably never see half of these people ever again", Jake said cheerfully. "How weird is that?"

Camel nodded in agreement, as their dinner was brought around. "It's weird", he agreed. "But there are some people we'll see".

"We'll see each other", Libby reminded them. "That's really all that matters".

"Aw, Libs", George grinned, putting an arm around her.

* * *

"You look absolutely incredible", Jake whispered into Rachel's ear, as she wrapped her arms around him. They had been dancing since dessert was finished, laughing it up with friends and posing for photos. Relishing in the memories that they had made, and the memories that they were making.

"I love you", she whispered back, resting her head on his shoulder.

It was an amazing night, Rachel thought, as Jake squeezed her tight. Everything had gone to plan perfectly, with Libby taking out the queen of the night (Libby had almost fallen over in excitement, Camel grabbing her to balance her just in time) while George had taken out the king (making Camel and Jake laugh hysterically, despite the love they had for their friend).

"You look beautiful", Jake said for the umpteenth time that night.

Rachel grinned, crashing her lips against his.

"Get a room!" Camel laughed, and Libby broke into a grin.

"Okay ladies and gentlemen, this is the last song for the night!" the announcer called through the microphone. "From your teachers and from us here tonight, we hope you've had the time of your life".

Rachel knew what the song was, even before the familiar Greenday chords were played. Linking her hand into Jake's before grabbing Libby's, she started to sing along, pulling her friends closer to her.

_Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road  
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go  
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why  
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time_

_"It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right, I hope you had the time of your life_", Rachel sang, encouraging her friends to join in. holding onto each other like it was the last night of their lives, the three boys, Libby and Rachel sang together. "_It's something unpredictable, but in the end its right, I hope you had the time of your life_".

They had laughed and they had cried, and they had had the time of their lives.


	20. Chapter 20

"I feel like I'm losing both of you!" Julie sobbed, as Rachel strapped Ruby into the car seat.

"Mum, its uni, not Mars", Rachel laughed, as she hugged her mother goodbye. "Ruby, say goodbye to Grandma!"

"Bye Grandma!" Ruby parroted, as she waved from the backseat. "Bye!"

Grace was sobbing equally hard, as she squeezed Jake tight. "I can't believe you're leaving!"

"Had to happen eventually, Mum", he said, patting her back. "You've still got Alex!"

Their parents had been surprised when they told them their plans. Surprised was not the word Rachel would have used, actually- at one point she was sure her father had stopped breathing. But they knew that Jake and Rachel were going to make things work. Grace, Julie and Dave knew that Rachel was going to get her degree, that Jake was going to complete his apprenticeship and that they were going to be the best role models for little Ruby.

The pair had been together for over eighteen month, and while Dave didn't entirely approve of the idea (he had taken Jake aside and warned the boy that if he ever hurt his daughter or granddaughter he'd be answering to him), he knew that Jake would take care of his girls while he couldn't.

They had all seen the house, and were surprised at how close it was to everything. Rachel showed them exactly how she was planning to get to and from university and Jake showed them how close the train station was. They even showed them the preschool that Ruby was enrolled to start the new year in, a three minute walk from their home.

"you aren't losing us", Jake assured them for the umpteenth time, as he checked there were P plates on the front and back of Rachel' car. "I mean, we're less than an hour away! If anything, we'll be back here more than we're at our own place!"

"they will be", Ben assured his mother, patting her on the shoulder. "The last time Rachel tried to cook she almost burnt down the house, and Jake can't even boil water. They're going to need to come back here for food".

His comment made both Grace and Julie laugh, as they saw the truth in the matter.

Dave stuck his head into the back of the car, pressing a kiss to Ruby's forehead. "I love you, Ruby Louise", he whispered. Emerging, he clapped Jake on the back before putting an arm around Rachel. "Take care of my girls for me, Jake".

"I always do, Mr Rafter".

With their final goodbyes, Jake and Rachel climbed into the car, as Jake reversed it out of the driveway. The three waved enthusiastically as they said goodbye to their hometown and their families out the front, driving away from their home comforts to start a life of their own.

Having spent the entire weekend before moving things from the Barton house and the Rafter house into the house they now called home (their families helping and Ben complaining loudly the entire time. "How can you guys have so much stuff? Do you have elastic walls in your bedrooms or something?" "Stop whinging, Ben". "I'm going to need to see a chiropractor by the end of this!"), Jake and Rachel didn't have that much to do when they arrived. Rachel unloaded Ruby and plopped her down in front of a Disney movie with a stack of colouring books (courtesy of Ben, Nathan, Carbo and Alex- Ben had been teary eyed, claiming that the house would be too quiet and he was sure his niece should stay), before they got to work putting the final touches on their house.

It really was the perfect place, Rachel mused, as she stretched the pale purple sheets over Ruby's bed. The walls were a light grey in colour throughout the house- except the room Jake had declared Ruby's. It was a pale mint green, the colour Rachel had fallen in love with.

It was only small- two bedrooms, a bathroom, an office, a kitchen and dining room, the smallest lounge room (doubling as a playroom for little Ruby) and laundry. But they didn't need much- they had their essentials, and Rachel had Jake and Ruby. That was all she needed.

After dinner of fish and chips (because while they were learning, Jake and Rachel could still only manage the simplest of meals and in a house that had a bottle of milk and a loaf of bread in it, they figured that takeaway was the best option), Rachel tucked Ruby into her bed amongst her toys before taking one more lap of the house, taking it all in once more.

"Welcome home", Jake whispered, wrapping his arms around her. Turning around to face him, she pressed her lips to his, wrapping her arms around him and squeezing him tight.

And as they fell into their bed that night, Rachel knew that she was home.


	21. Chapter 21

They fell into a routine quite quickly, living in their new house together. Once the alarm went off (and after Rachel snoozed it twice), Rachel would roll out of bed, eat breakfast and get lunches ready, while Jake got ready for work. Once Ruby sleepily shuffled out of her bed (straight into the arms of either her mother or Jake), Rachel would then have a quick shower while Jake and Ruby ate breakfast. The three then departed for the day, Jake heading towards the station while Rachel and Ruby headed towards her preschool, talking animatedly about their day ahead.

And on the way home, Jake would meet Rachel, and together they would go to the preschool to pick up Ruby, the little girl holding both their hands and swinging between them, laughing all the way, telling them about her day and everything that had happened.

They had been living in their new house for almost a month, the three of them, and Jake couldn't believe the life he had found for himself.

While others they knew- their entire graduating class in high school- went out to party and get absolutely hammered so they didn't even remember the night before, Jake and Rachel settled in for the night with a bowl of microwave popcorn between them and a movie on their television. Their life meant having tea parties with Ruby's dozen imaginary friends and comforting the little girl when she scraped her knee.

It meant pancakes (the one thing that Rachel had actually mastered) on a Saturday morning, as the three of them wandered around sleepy eyed and tousle haired, wearing their pyjamas until late.

But most importantly, it meant the three of them.


	22. Chapter 22

They had been living their life as a family of three in their Sydney home for six months, when they faced their first bombshell.

Rachel was sitting in the corner of the lounge, with Jake's feet in her lap, her laptop resting on top of his feet. After completing her first semester of university, she was using her break to catch up on everything around the house, and, at night, check her Facebook profile. With Ruby asleep and Jake napping in front of the television (although he claimed that his favourite show was on and she was under no means to change the channel, the boy had fallen asleep watching it every week since the season started), she had the house almost all to herself.

The computer beeped, making her startle, as a red number one appeared up the top of her screen, alerting her to a new message in her inbox.

Expecting it to be from Libby or one of her friends from university, she clicked on it, a smile on her face. But when she saw the name, all colour drained from her face.

**Daniel Griggs**

**Hi Rach, **

**How are you? I know we haven't spoken since you moved to Sydney, but I'm going to be in the city next week, and I would really love to catch up with you and meet our daughter. Please let me know, I would really like to meet her.**

**Dan **

Jake felt her tense up under his feet, and opened one eye. "what's wrong, Rach?" he murmured, seeing her pale face.

"Daniel", was all she managed to get out, shoving the laptop at him. His eyes widened, hearing the name, as he struggled to sit up, blinking the sleep away.

"What the hell does he want?"

"He wants to see me- and Ruby".

Jake understood that Daniel was Ruby's biological father, but the man had been less of a father than his own had. Jake's father had abandoned him and his family after Alex was born, Daniel hadn't even waited to meet Ruby before he left.

"What are you going to do?" he wanted to know, and she moved closer towards him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I don't know". She shrugged. "I hate him, I hate his guts for what he did- but he gave me Ruby".

Jake knew that it was her decision, if she let Ruby see him or not- but the thought of the little girl getting hurt made his blood boil. At three, she was too innocent and too precious to him to be hurt by the man.

"I don't want Rubes to meet him", Rachel said with a sigh, resting her head on his chest. "I don't want Ruby getting hurt in all of this. I can deal with him, but she can't. she's three, for God's sake! Why now, why does he want to meet her now?"

"I don't want either of you to see Daniel", Jake admitted. "I don't want either of you getting hurt by him- you were hurt before, you were broken. I don't want Ruby to have to see you like that, and I never want to see you like that again".

"I'm not going to get hurt", she whispered.

"I made your dad a promise, I'm going to live up to that". he pressed a kiss to the top of her head, soaking up the love he had for the girl.


	23. Chapter 23

The peaceful sleep Jake and Rachel were in was sliced through with an ear-piercing shriek, Ruby hollering from the other room.

"MUMMYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!"

Jake groaned, and Rachel squeezed her eyes shut, willing Ruby to go back to sleep. "Leave her, leave her for a moment", she mumbled to Jake, not even opening her eyes. "She's old enough to self-settle".

Ruby had generally been good about self-settling, once she hit about the eighteen month mark- Rachel could count on one hand the amount of times she had had to haul herself out of bed to check on the little girl after a nightmare.

But after Ruby didn't settle, Rachel pulled herself out from underneath the blankets, mumbling to herself, padding barefoot down the cold hallway into Ruby's room.

Flicking on the bedroom light, she found Ruby sitting among a pool of vomit, the bedding absolutely soaked.

"Oh holy cow, Rubes", Rachel squeaked out, as Ruby reached out to her.

"Mummy", she sobbed.

The smell almost knocked Rachel over, as she lifted Ruby into her arms.

"Jake!" she bellowed. "Could I please have a bit of assistance in here?"

The words had barely left her mouth when Ruby projectile vomited again, hitting the blankets on her bed and Rachel's pyjamas. Gagging a little, Rachel managed to strip the little girl naked, before taking off her own pyjamas.

"What's wrong?" Jake wanted to know, coming out of their bedroom at a slower pace.

'Could you please get a shower stared?" Rachel called, from the kitchen. Despite the bitter temperature outside, Ruby was on fire, and Rachel dug through the medicine cabinet to find the thermometer.

"Mummy, I feel yucky", Ruby whimpered.

"I know, baby, I bet you do", Rachel murmured, as she turned on the digital thermometer and pushing it into Ruby's ear. "it's okay, you're going to have a warm shower and some medicine and put on clean jarmies and have a sleep in Mummy's bed, okay?"

No sooner had the thermometer beeped; Rachel heard a shriek from Ruby's room. "What the hell happened in here?"

"ruby's sick- did you turn the shower on?" she wanted to know, stalking down the hallway wearing nothing but her underwear, a naked toddler on her hip.

"The shower's running- holy God!" his eyes were wide. "Alright, what do you want me to do?"

"I don't know- go back to bed, you've got work in the morning". She sighed, opening the shower door and testing the water before standing Ruby underneath it. "I've got this under control".

"What's her temperature like?" Jake wanted to know, as he began to remove the vomit covered sheets from the bed.

"Thirty nine point three".

"Jesus", he remarked, trying to stop himself from gagging. Rachel stripped down herself before joining her daughter in the shower, squirting tear free shampoo into her palm and massaging it through Ruby's curls. The little girl leaned against her mother, seeking comfort, and Rachel sighed heavily, not knowing how to soothe the sick little girl.

Once they were both clean and free of vomit, Rachel wrapped Ruby in a towel before tying one around herself, carrying her daughter into her bedroom. Jake had stripped the bed free of its sheets and blankets (and unfortunately, Ruby's rag doll that had been a present from Ben), shoving them all in the washing machine. He'd set out a clean pair of pyjamas and a teddy bear (knowing that while there was no better comfort than her rag doll, the teddy bear came a close second) and a bottle of children's Nurofen with the syringe beside it.

"Mummy, I feel yucky", Ruby whimpered again, and Rachel barely held back her own tears, as she cradled her in her arms.

"I know you do, baby", she whispered, holding her tight.

Jake appeared in the doorway, a bottle of water in his hand. "Here you go, Rubes, to wash down the medicine", he said kindly, holding it out to the little girl. Ruby barely made a face as she swallowed down the sweet Nurofen, taking a sip of water and clinging onto her mother like a life preserver.

When Rachel passed her to Jake to stretch clean sheets and blankets over the child sized bed, she wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder as he drew patterns on her back.

* * *

Ruby threw up four more times before settling into a restless sleep in her mother's arms, Rachel's eyes burning at the early hour. Jake settled down on the lounge, knowing he had to be awake earlier than either girl, all the while wishing he was able to stay home and comfort the two.

"I'm going to work", Jake whispered to Rachel, pressing a kiss to her forehead as he came in to say goodbye. "Call me and tell me how bub is, alright?"

She nodded, yawning and rolling away from Ruby. "She's still burning up, but I think the worst of it is over".

As she bid Jake goodbye, she went into the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee, before settling down in front of the television with her laptop on her knees. Logging onto her Facebook profile, she saw yet another message from Daniel.

**From: Daniel Griggs **

**Hi Rach, I know I've been messaging you a lot, but I'm in Sydney and would really like to meet up. Can we meet for coffee? You pick the time and place; I'd really like to see you and Ruby, if possible. **

**Dan **

Seeing the message on the screen, Rachel knew she had to reply, but finding the words to write to the biological father of her baby was more difficult than she had ever anticipated.

**From: Rachel Rafter**

**Hi Daniel, **

**I do want to meet up with you, but it can't be today because Ruby is incredibly sick and I've been up for most of the night with her. **

Rachel bit her lip, unsure of what to type. Telling him to meet her at the Little Café (a favourite spot for her university friends and herself, where they found themselves between most classes) in a week's time, Rachel went to check on the little girl tucked in her bed.

"Hey Ruby", she said gently, brushing her sweaty curls off her forehead.

"Hi Mummy", she murmured.

"Do you still feel sick?"

Ruby nodded pathetically, and Rachel's heart ached for her.

"Are you going to throw up?" she asked carefully, and Ruby thought about it carefully before nodding.

Lifting her into her arms, she carried her into the bathroom before the little girl threw up what little was left in her stomach; gagging and making her mother feel truly useless. But as Ruby held her tight, Rachel knew that there was little she could do to comfort her, as she settled the pair of them down in front of The Little Mermaid (which, much to Libby's delight had become Ruby's favourite movie).

* * *

"Hey, what are you doing home so early?" Rachel wanted to know, yawning, as the front door opened and Jake made his way inside. "It's not even lunch time yet!"

"I know, I knocked off early". He grinned at her, setting down the shopping bags. "I also phoned home and asked if Mum could make some of her chicken soup- guaranteed to make anyone feel better. She sent us home the whole pot- Alex is disgusted- so we're taking a trip to Carrs Park sometime soon to return it and pay everyone a visit. I also stopped by the shops to get some lemonade and juice, to keep her vitamin C levels up. I bought Sao biscuits because they're proven to help settle your stomach and a loaf of bread because it's relatively bland and I know we don't have any. I got Nurofen because I noticed last night there wasn't that much left, and if the last ear infection she had is anything to go by, her fever could last a week. I bought us some lemon flavoured tea, because it's guaranteed at least one of us will get sick- and ice blocks for when we're on the mend and feel like celebrating". He pulled out a DVD, holding it up for the blonde to see. "I also bought The Lion King, because it was on special at the shops and right next to the checkout and it's a classic Disney film that she hasn't watched yet".

"How did I end up with a guy like you?" Rachel wanted to know, wrapping her arms around his neck.

He grinned at her, before glancing over at the lounge. "How is she?"

"Still crook as". Rachel sighed heavily. "This is the sickest I've ever seen the poor kid, I hate it. I hate feeling so useless".

"You're doing everything you can, Rach", Jake said gently, as he opened the cupboard to get out a handful of containers. "I called Mum as early as I could; she put this pot of soup on for us before she left for work. There's heaps, so we can freeze some and keep it for when one of us get sick".

"Grace is a legend".

"Grace says she wants to see her granddaughter", Jake chuckled. "She misses seeing Ruby every day, I think it's time we pay them a visit".

"When bub's feeling better we'll go home", Rachel promised. "I'm meeting up with Daniel next week".

"What?" Jake startled a little, slopping soup onto the kitchen bench. "I thought you weren't going to?"

"I want to know what he wants- I don't want him to see Ruby, but I want to know what he wants. And once I know that, then I can decide what to do".

Jake nodded, jamming the lid on the Tupperware container, respecting her decision. "As long as you don't get hurt", he reiterated, Ruby stirring from the lounge.

"Jake", she murmured in surprise, sitting up a little.

"Hey munchkin", he said gently, moving towards her and lifting her into his arms, brushing stray hairs off her sweaty forehead. "Are you feeling any better?"

She shook her head sadly, and Rachel smiled at the sight. Despite the fact that Jake was not little Ruby's biological father, he was the one who was there for her when it mattered.


	24. Chapter 24

Throughout the next week, while Ruby recovered, both Jake and Rachel suffered through similar strains of the same virus (spending their time either tucked up under blankets shivering their fevers away or curled up on the bathroom floor, convinced they were dying). But, by the time the weekend rolled around, the family of three were right as rain.

As Rachel hurried around the house looking for her other boot, Jake paced the kitchen, trying to convince her not to go and see Daniel without using the words 'don't go and see Daniel'.

"Rach-"

"I don't want Ruby seeing Daniel", Rachel said, and Jake nodded. "Biologically, he's her father, but you're her dad. I don't want her getting hurt".

Jake nodded, putting an arm around her. "Are you sure you're going to be okay?"

"Yeah- I can deal with him", she assured him. "I'll be right". She pressed a kiss to his lips, picking up her handbag. "Rubes, I'm going out, okay? Be good for Jake!"

"Can we go to the park?" Ruby bounced out of her room, the Velcro on her sneakers waving.

"Are you going to fix your shoes?" Rachel looked at her feet and Ruby grinned, nodding.

"Yes".

"Be good for Jake, okay?" Rachel blew her a kiss, before waving. "Bye!"

* * *

"Rach!" Daniel called eagerly, waving like he was directing a 747 for landing.

He hadn't changed. Rachel didn't think he'd ever change, as she walked a little faster towards him. He stood up from the table, attempting to pull her into a hug, but she stepped back.

"Hi, Daniel".

"Rach, how are you?"

She managed a small smile. "Uni's good, everything's good right now. I'm working on Ruby's fourth birthday party invitations".

(Ruby's fourth birthday party wouldn't be for another six months, but she didn't put it past him in not knowing that.)

"Wow, four".

"Why are you here, Daniel?" Rachel didn't want to sit there through awkward conversation; she just wanted to get straight to the point. "What do you want?"

"I want to see you, I want to meet Ruby-"

"You had the chance to meet Ruby", she interjected. "You had the chance to help me throughout my pregnancy- you didn't. Ben and Nathan were so supportive- what other twelve year old would hold their big sister while they cried?" she accused. "You ditched me the day after- the day after Ruby was conceived, you weren't there. Why do you want to see us now?"

"Because I want to see you, I want to get to know Ruby".

"No", she said firmly.

"I'm her father-"

"You're her sperm donor!" she shot back. "You don't even know her middle name!"

He thought for a moment, thinking hard, as she continued to speak.

"When we moved to Carrs Park I lost contact with everyone from school or otherwise, and it was for the better. It gave me a chance to raise MY daughter by MYSELF, without the input of others that knew me as that fourteen year old slut that got pregnant. I'm not in a relationship with a man who appreciates me for me and adores Ruby, the only thing I wanted".

"What kind of guy goes for a girl with a kid?" Daniel wanted to know, and Rachel bit back a yell.

"Someone who actually cares, Daniel Griggs. I don't want to see you anymore. Ever. You'll be sorry if you even try to contact me again". She didn't even try to hide her disgust, as she grabbed her bag and stalked back out of the café, absolutely fuming.

In the time since she had moved to Carrs Park, the friends she had grown up with hadn't even attempted to make contact with her. Daniel had never met Ruby, and if Rachel had anything to do with it, he never would. As far as she was concerned, Daniel was nothing more than a sperm donor.


	25. Chapter 25

Despite Rachel's warning, Daniel continued to contact her throughout the week, making her more and more nervous.

"I'm worried that he's going to do something to Ruby", she confessed. "I can handle him, but she's only a baby. I don't care how much of his DNA runs through her blood, she's not his daughter".

"She's not going to hurt my girl", Jake said firmly, glancing into the room where Ruby was napping (although she was three and a big girl, sometimes she just couldn't make it through the day without a nap). "He's not going to hurt either of my girls- I made Dave a promise, and I'm going to do whatever it takes to keep that promise".

She pressed her lips against his. "Don't do anything stupid, Jake".

"I won't", he murmured against her lips. "I promise".

* * *

After a final message from Daniel, Jake lost it. Grabbing his keys and marching out of the house, leaving little Ruby bewildered, Rachel started to pace up and down the hallway.

"Where's Jake, Mummy?" Ruby wanted to know, yawning sleepily. "Is he gonna read me my story?"

Since they left their home in Carrs Park, Jake had taken over Nathan's nightly ritual of reading to the little girl (while both Ben and Rachel read, neither of them had the same passion that Nathan had for books, and he was determined to pass it on to his niece), and without her story, Ruby was feeling out of sorts.

"I'll read to you", Rachel said to her, taking a seat on the lounge. "Go and get the book, alright Rubes? He'll go in and give you a kiss goodnight if he's not home".

Collecting her book, Ruby leant up against her mother, snuggling beside her. "Mummy?"

"Yeah baby?"

"I love you". She grinned sweetly up at the blonde. "And I love Jakey. We're a family, right?"

"Right baby girl", Rachel smiled at her. "We're a family".

As far as Ruby was concerned, Jake was her daddy. He was the only man she had ever known, and Rachel would have had it any other way.

* * *

"Jesus Christ Jake, what did you do?" just one look at the boy made tears pour down her cheeks, as she took in the sight. "Jake! You promised!"

The boy standing in front of her had two black eyes and a split lip, with a scrape down the side of his face that would probably leave a scar. "Hey Rach- you didn't have to wait up".

"You promised you wouldn't do anything", she scolded, biting her lip and trying to hold back the tears, as she pushed him towards the kitchen. "Jesus, Jake, what did he do to you?"

He allowed her to poke and prod his wounds, before leading him over to the table. As she climbed up to poke through the medicine cabinet, he spoke up. "I also promised your dad, Rach. I promised that I wouldn't let his girls get hurt".

"You're an idiot, a total idiot", she said finally, as she found the antiseptic cream. "But I love you to bits and don't want to ever live without you". Dabbing it to his wounds, he barely flinched. "You're a total idiot and I love everything about you".

"I'm your favourite", he quipped, quoting little Ruby exactly. Rachel tried not to chuckle, trying to keep her face stern as she applied first aid to her broken boyfriend, but she couldn't.

"Yep. You're my favourite. And Ruby wants a goodnight kiss and an extra chapter of her story tomorrow night".

"What the munchkin wants, the munchkin gets", Jake winced slightly, as she wiped dried blood off his cheek.

"You spoil her".

"I know I do, she's my munchkin".

"And this is why you're her family and he's not". Despite the scratches and bruises and bumps on the boy's face, Rachel pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead, and Jake beamed, her lips on his skin better than any form of medicine or bandage. "I love you, you stupid, stupid boy".

"And I love you, you crazy, crazy girl".


	26. Chapter 26

The weekend after the incident, as Rachel had begun to refer to it, they drove home with Rachel behind the wheel (Jake arguing the whole way, because in his opinion, his swollen eyes were nothing to worry about and he was perfectly capable of driving). Arranging to meet Alex and Grace for lunch at the Rafter house (while making arrangements for Libby and the boys to meet them there too); they set off right after breakfast, Ruby singing brightly from the backseat.

"We're almost here, Rubes!" Jake said brightly, turning around to smile at the little girl.

"Almost there", Rachel echoed, as she turned into the street she had called home. Stopping the car between the Rafter house and the Calamari Castle, she turned off the engine before glancing towards her daughter.

"Ready to see everyone?"

"Yes!" Ruby bounced a little, wriggling in her car seat. "Lemme out please!"

Jake unbuckled her seatbelt before lifting her out, allowing her to run in front and knock on the door.

"Grandpa!" she said excitedly, hugging the older man, motioning for Rachel and Jake to hurry up. "Mummy!"

"Jake, what the hell happened?" Dave wanted to know, as Ruby lead the pair inside.

"He hurt himself", Ruby informed her grandfather, taking Nathan's hand and dragging the boy towards the door. "Where's Uncle Ben?"

"Protecting your girls, Mr Rafter, like you told me to", Jake said sheepishly.

"Daniel's back in town", Rachel said quietly, and Dave grabbed his car keys.

"I'm going to-"

"I took care of it, Mr Rafter", Jake spoke up. If his eyes hadn't been so bruised and swollen, he would have looked almost proud of himself. "Guess what? He's never gonna come near Rachel or Ruby again. He's probably not even going to come to Sydney".

"You're a legend", Ben said from the doorway.

"Camel and George are sorry they missed out", Rachel spoke up.

"Wait, start from the beginning", Julie said firmly.

"well, Daniel contacted me, wanting to meet up and then Ruby got some death flu bug thing, and then Jake and I got it, and then I met up with Daniel, told him never to contact me again, and he contacted me again and Jake tore him to shreds". Rachel shrugged. "You're caught up, basically.

There was a knock at the door, and Carbo poked his head inside. "Look who I found outside!" he said, not even waiting for an invitation.

"Aunty Libby!" Ruby said excitedly, running towards the girl.

"Ruby Lou, look at you!" Libby knelt down slightly, grabbing the little girl in her arms and spinning around, the pair giggling.

"Mate!" Camel laughed, as Ruby was passed to him. "You've grown a foot!"

"No!" Ruby laughed, holding her arms out for her beloved uncle George. "I didn't even grow!"

With Dave, Julie and Grace handling it, they were able to sort out the legal side of things. In the next two weeks, it was cleared that Daniel Griggs would never come near Rachel again, and the couple could go back to living the way they had been.


	27. Chapter 27

At four, Ruby Rafter was probably the most energetic kid Jake had ever seen. In his entire life.

So when it was raining outside and Rachel was at uni, he figured there was nothing better to do then swing her around their lounge room by the arms. He'd done it five hundred million times before; he figured that that particular rainy day would be no different.

"More!" Ruby shrieked excitedly and Jake grabbed her by the arms, hearing her giggles. Spinning her around, he set her on her feet before plopping down on the lounge, his own head spinning. Ruby stumbled over to join him, before tripping awkwardly over her feet and landing on the carpet with a deafening crack.

"Ow!" she squeaked, and Jake jumped up, ignoring the head spins.

Ruby had curled herself into a ball, cradling her arm to her chest, her face pale.

"Ruby?" he said worriedly, trying to pry her off the floor.

"Jake", she said in a tiny voice. "My arm hurts".

He'd had enough football injuries in his time to see that her little arm was broken- and it shattered his heart, knowing that it was his fault.

"Hey Rubes", he said gently, lifting her up. "We're gonna go and get that looked at, alright? We're gonna go to the hospital".

She buried her head in his neck, still holding her swelling arm. "I don't wanna go. Not without Mummy".

(Ruby Rafter had inherited her mother's stubbornness, much to Rachel's dismay.)

"How about I get Mummy to meet us there?" he said desperately, plucking her sandals off the floor and jamming them onto her feet. "I'll call Mummy and she'll meet us at the hospital and then I'll take you to get ice cream, alright?"

Even the promise of ice cream didn't stop a single tear rolling down her cheek, and Jake, trying not to jostle her broken arm, hurried through the house to strap her into her car seat.

She brightened slightly when Jake started the engine, even more so when he sped out of their driveway. "You're goin' really fast, Jake!" she said, almost excitedly. "Coz this is a 'mergency?"

"Yep!"

Ignoring the road signs (something that Rachel would have gone insane about, had she too been in the car), he sped towards the hospital, before throwing Ruby over his shoulder (careful not to bump her arm), marching into the emergency room.

"Hi", he said shortly, approaching the desk. "My kid- she's broken her arm. I need this fixed, pronto". He pointed to Ruby, balancing precariously in one arm, cradling her own to her chest.

Instead of the urgency he had been hoping for, he was given a pile of forms to fill in and told to wait patiently.

"The kid's in pain!" he all but snapped, taking a seat with the little girl in his lap. Filling in her details (because he knew the little girl and loved her as if she were his own, something Daniel never did, he noted almost proudly), he handed them back to the ladies at the desk before little Ruby's name was called.

"Is this gonna hurt, Jake?" she whimpered, and Jake squeezed her good hand.

"It shouldn't", he promised. "The doctors are gonna make your arm better, and then we're gonna get ice cream because you're a brave girl. You're my brave girl, aren't you?"

She nodded. "I'm your brave girl".

It was when Ruby was choosing the colour for her cast (hot pink, she said with a grin) that Jake remembered about Rachel. And how she was left completely in the dark about her daughter's little mishap that was essentially his fault.

"Rach?" he said down the phone, as Ruby sat patiently on the hospital bed.

"Hey Jake, what's up? Sorry, I have to be quick, you caught me between classes. Is everything okay?"

"About that…"

"Oh my God", she groaned. "Are you both okay? What happened? Is Ruby alright? Are YOU alright?"

"Ruby broke her arm", he blurted out. "It was my fault, we were playing-"

"Jake, its fine", she interrupted him. "Is she okay? She isn't howling her eyes out, is she? I mean, she's fine?"

"Her arm is broken but she picked a pink cast", he said, unsure about the way she was reacting. "Rach-"

"Jake, I'm really sorry, but I've got to get to my next tute", she said hurriedly. "I love you; give Ruby a kiss and a cuddle for me? Tell her that I'll take her out for ice cream when I get home".

"I'm taking her out for ice cream after we leave".

"Well, give her a kiss and a cuddle for me!" she blew kisses down the phone before promptly disconnecting the line, leaving Jake ultimately confused.

"Jake?" Ruby called. "Are we gonna get ice cream?"

"Yep". He nodded enthusiastically.

"Can I get chocolate?"

"Of course you can". He grinned at her, and she beamed.

* * *

After Rachel came home, Ruby attached herself to her side, starting to whine a little at the pain. So Rachel kissed her better, gave her a dose of Nurofen and Ruby happily went to play with her dolls.

"I feel horrible", Jake confessed to Rachel, as he chopped up vegetables for their stir fry.

"Jake, don't", she almost scolded. "It could have happened when I was here, she's a Rafter, and she's accident prone. The kid's going to hurt herself more than once, you've seen her uncle. Ben's the worst out of all of us and she obviously takes after him".

He tried to smile and see the positives like Rachel did, but in his eyes, there was nothing positive about what had happened. He had hurt one of the most important people in his life, and he was left wondering if she was going to forgive him.

It felt like little Ruby was steering clear of him, as Rachel helped her in the bath (it was awkward to lift herself in and out of the tub with the heavy pink cast on her arm, something that she would only get used to with time), and as Rachel helped her put on her pyjamas. So he retreated to their bedroom, Rachel's laptop on his knees, logging onto Facebook.

"Jake?" Ruby said quietly from the doorway, her eyes heavy with sleep.

"Yeah kiddo?" he glanced up from Rachel's laptop, where he had been tapping away.

"Do you still love me?" she looked at her feet, suddenly unsure, and Jake's heart leapt.

"Come here, munchkin", he motioned towards the bed, and Ruby climbed up onto it, plopping herself down beside him. He wrapped her in a one armed hug, kissing the top of her head. "Of course I love you! You're my munchkin!"

She giggled, hugging him back.

"Do you still love me?" he wanted to know, and Ruby looked shocked that he would even ask such a question.

"Yes!" she giggled. "You're my Jake!"

"You're stuck with me now, Ruby Lou!" and he tickled her tummy until she was screaming with laughter and begging for mercy, giggling hysterically in the bed beside him. Because she was his munchkin.


	28. Chapter 28

Rachel Rafter had never wanted to be one of those people who cooed the words 'time goes by so fast!' or 'they grow up so fast!' but, much to her disgust; she had become one of those people.

Essentially, she was becoming her mother, she realised as she hung up Ruby's brand new school dress.

"Good Lord, I'm turning into my mother", she said in a panic, as she turned into the kitchen. Jake's response was to start laughing- hysterically- as she started to pace. "Why are you laughing? I'm nineteen! That's not something to laugh about!"

Jake's shoulders shook with silent laughter, as she glared.

"What is so funny? My baby is starting school tomorrow and all you can do is LAUGH!" picking up a sponge, she threw it at his head.

"I sound like my mother!" he mimicked, snorting with laughter.

"Well we'll see how you react tomorrow", she glared.

"You'll cry", he said with a grin.

"Oh, and you won't?" she chuckled a little, and he stood up from his chair. Letting out a squeal, she jogged down the hallway, as he threatened to chase her. "If you wake her up, I'll have to kill you!"

* * *

Rachel almost cried, as Ruby stepped out of the bathroom. Her royal blue school dress was too big, her shoes were too new and her socks were too clean. Her unruly curls were braided into two braids, hanging over each shoulder, and she looked too big to be the little girl she still tucked in at night.

"Where did my munchkin go?" Jake feigned surprise, as Ruby giggled.

"It's me, Jake!" she laughed, hugging him tight.

"Look at you, all grown up!" he twirled her around, making her squeal. "Ready for your first day of school? Rach, got the camera?"

Rachel glared. "What kind of question is that? Of course I have the camera!"

"Let's go!" Jake held his hand and Ruby took one of his and one of her mother's, swinging their arms cheerfully.

"Let's go to school!" she said in excitement.

The little girl talked incessantly the whole walk to her new school, Jake and Rachel keeping a tight grip on both of her hands in a hope of prolonging her innocence. Five seemed so big, and seeing her in a school dress just proved to them how much she had grown.

If Rachel was completely honest, she dreaded her daughter going to school.

But Ruby was excited, so she was excited too. It could have been worse, she had reasoned with herself. She could have been the child that had to be dragged kicking and screaming through the school gates (Ruby had watched with wide eyes on the day of her orientation, seeming disbelieving at the fuss some kids were making).

When they reached the school and made their way down to the kindergarten rooms, Ruby posed for an inappropriate amount of photos at her mother's insistence, before kissing her mother's cheek, kissing Jake's cheek, kissing her mother's cheek again and hugging them both.

"Bye!" Jake said sadly, as Ruby bounced up the stairs, not even willing to let them see her classroom.

Ruby waved from the top of the stairs, grinning down at her parents.

"See ya later!" she called cheerfully, before disappearing into the classroom.

Jake turned to Rachel, a pout on his face. "Well this is just the worst day of my entire life".

"Ha!" she almost screamed triumphantly. "She's too big!"

"no- why did you get two kisses and I only get one?" he complained, and Rachel stared at him incredulously.

"Are you serious?"

"Bloody oath I'm serious!" he protested. "How come, after everything I've done, I only get one cuddle on her first day of school?"

And Rachel, despite the circumstances and despite the fact that her baby girl had started school, laughed all the way out the gate at the pout on his face.


	29. Chapter 29

"Do you want to come over?" Ruby asked her friend, as she shoved her pencil case into her bag. "My mummy and Jake won't even mind!"

Annelise nodded eagerly. She'd heard a lot about Ruby's family- all her stories were hilarious, and she couldn't wait to meet them. "Yes! I'll have to check with my mum, though".

"When they come to get us, we can ask!" Ruby said brightly.

Annelise poked her head out of the classroom, grinning. "I see my mum! I can't see yours, Ruby".

"Maybe my Jake is picking me up". Ruby shrugged, as she tugged her friend back into the classroom.

Moments later, when the bell rang out, Annelise grabbed her bag and grabbed her friend by the arm, the two heading down the stairs as thick as thieves.

"Mummy!" Ruby greeted excitedly, throwing her arms around Rachel.

"Hey girly, how was school?"

"Good! Can Annelise come over?"

"So that's the famous Annelise", Rachel mused. "I don't know, kiddo, we'll have to check with her mum. Maybe another day?"

(In the week and a half Ruby had been at school, she had come home every afternoon with stories about her new best friend, and neither Rachel or Jake had sighted her.)

"Come and meet her!" and Ruby dragged her mother over towards the brunette, Rachel laughed.

"Whoa, Rubes!"

"Ruby!" Annelise threw her arms around her friend, and Rachel laughed.

"Hi, I'm Rachel Rafter, I'm Ruby's mum", she introduced.

"I'm Sue Hamilton", the other woman chuckled. "Annelise's mother. You're so young! I thought you were Ruby's older sister".

"No, no, I just had her young". Rachel grinned. "Too young, but that's alright".

"Mummy, can Annelise come over?" Ruby interrupted.

"Mummy, can I go to Ruby's house?" Annelise turned her blue eyes up at her mother, making both women laugh.

"How about tomorrow?" Rachel suggested.

"Tomorrow's good", Sue agreed, and the little girls' eyes shone.

"Yay!"

Ruby grabbed Annelise's hands and the pair danced around in a circle, making their mothers laugh.


	30. Chapter 30

"She's excelled, Mum", Rachel said proudly, as Ruby scampered off to find her uncles. "Seriously. She absolutely loves school, and her teacher says she's heaps further ahead than other kids".

"That's wonderful, darling!" Julie beamed.

"And every Tuesday she plays with Annelise", Jake added. "Either at our house or their house, and then they go to dancing together".

"Tap and jazz", Rachel nodded. "Oh, their concert is at the end of November. She asked me to tell you to make sure you guys don't make plans for the last Saturday of November, because everyone plans their lives that far ahead". She chuckled, and Julie nodded.

"We'll put it in the calendar", Dave said seriously.

"Mum and Alex have already put it in", Jake chuckled.

Julie was overjoyed, seeing her daughter so happy. The way she had settled into her life with Jake, with the little girl they were raising together. They had both come such a long way since they had moved to Carrs Park, and Julie couldn't be happier for them.


	31. Chapter 31

"Aunty Libby!" seven year old Ruby squealed, as she flung open the front door.

"Libby!" Annelise echoed, having followed her best friend down the hallway.

Libby grabbed Ruby into a hug, squeezing her tight. "Ruby Lou, look at you! You must have grown four feet since I saw you last- hi Annelise, how are you gorgeous?"

"Good!" Annelise giggled.

"Rach, you ready to go?" Jake called. "We've got to go; we're going to be LATE!"

Rachel flew through the house, her shoes hanging in one hand. "Hi Libs, bye Libs!" she blew kisses towards the three girls. "We're running late, be good girlies! Thanks for watching them Lib- you better be asleep when we get home, Ruby Louise!"

"They're always good!" Libby protested, waving as the front door slammed.

"Something special's gonna happen tonight", Ruby predicted, climbing back onto the lounge in her pyjamas. "Jake told me this morning".

"Really?" Libby said interestedly. "Like what, Rubes?"

"It's a surprise", Annelise pronounced, joining her best friend within the cushions. "Libby, can we watch Snow White tonight?"

"Of course we can". Libby grinned at them. "A little birdy told me there's ice cream in the freezer and popcorn in the pantry".

"Rachel said we've had too much sugar already today", Annelise whispered.

"Yeah, Sue gave us lolly bags from Mikaela's party!" Ruby piped up. Little Mikaela Hamilton's birthday party was one of the reasons Annelise had commandeered Ruby's trundle bed for the night, not wanting to spend the entire day with her family. "And cake. We had chocolate cake, Aunty Libby!"

"Rachel's not here", Libby whispered back (she'd bonded immediately with Ruby's best friend at Ruby's sixth birthday party, and Annelise had decided that the woman was one of the coolest people she'd ever met).

Giggling, Ruby hopped off the lounge and ran to the kitchen, ripping the freezer door open. "Mummy even got us Ice Magic, because that's the best".

"It is the best, isn't it?" Libby agreed.

(She may or may not have influenced Ruby's taste in junk food, much to her parents' dismay- Rachel had been disgusted when she found out how little fruit she had eaten when she spent the night at Libby's, and had witnessed her daughter bouncing off the walls.)

It didn't take long, once the ice cream settled in their systems, for the two girls to crash. Their eyes had been drooping for twenty minutes, before Annelise was the first to crash. Ruby's head flopped to the lounge cushion moments later, and Libby faced the two of them with a frown.

"Well, great", she grumbled playfully. "Now who am I going to talk to?"

One by one she carried them to Ruby's room (despite the dead weight of the two sleeping seven year olds, they were surprisingly light), tucking them into their respective beds before turning off the light. Washing the ice cream bowls and spoons (so Rachel wouldn't get suspicious- she blamed Julie and Grace for spoiling Ruby, knowing all the while Libby was just as guilty), she settled down on the lounge to flick through the channels, wondering what Ruby's surprise was.

* * *

"What's up with you?" Rachel said finally, as Jake shifted again in his seat.

"Nothing", he lied.

"You've been acting weird since we left the house- what's wrong?" she eyed him, the boy knowing full well that Rachel could see straight through him.

"Nothing".

"No, seriously- oh holy shit, are you breaking up with me?" her voice rose in a panic, and Jake's heart almost fell out of his mouth.

"What?" he squawked.

"You are, aren't you?" she freaked out, beyond consolation. "I can't believe you; we've been together since we were sixteen! You've been leading me on since we were sixteen? Me, I can handle being hurt, but we're dealing with a child! You're going to break a seven year old's heart-"

"Rachel!" Jake reached out across the table, clamping a hand over her mouth (knowing that Rachel wasn't beyond licking- or biting- his hand). "You need to chill out. Seriously. I'm not going to leave you, and I'm not going to hurt Ruby".

"Promise?" she said, sounding a lot like her daughter (without sticking her pinky out. Ruby was big on pinky promises, knowing that they couldn't be broken).

"Promise". Jake nodded.


	32. Chapter 32

Hand in hand, Rachel and Jake wandered along the harbour, Jake fiddling nervously with one hand in his pocket.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Rachel said to him, curiosity and worry lacing her voice.

"Yeah, Rach, I'm fine". He grinned at her, leading her to a bench. "Let's just sit for a moment".

(He had assured her that he wasn't breaking up with her, but at that moment, she didn't believe him.)

"Rachel", he said, unsure how to tell her. "We've been together since we were sixteen, and if I'm completely honest with you, I've loved you since we were fifteen, since that very first day at Carrs Park High".

She grinned at the memories, fond or otherwise.

"You became my best friend, and then my girlfriend, and together we made ourselves a family. I don't know where I would be if I hadn't met you and Ruby, I love you and that little girl more than I ever imagined I could love anyone". Pulling a little velvet box out of his pocket, he snapped it open. "Rachel Rafter, we've spent six years together, and I would love to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

Rachel had tears streaming down her cheeks as she wordlessly nodded, pressing her lips against his. "Yes", she whispered, and Jake beamed.

"God I love you", he murmured against her lips.

* * *

Rachel opened the front door quietly, to find her best friend napping peacefully on the lounge. Plopping down beside her, she reached out to poke her shoulder gently.

"Libs".

"Mmm?" Libby cracked an eye open, trying to shake away the sleep. "Hi hun, how was your date?" she yawned tiredly, sitting up a little straighter on the lounge.

"Good, good". Jake beamed, unable to wipe the grin off his face.

"What happened?" Libby asked suspiciously.

"Well… Jake proposed!"

Libby let out an ear piercing shriek of excitement and Rachel tackled her into the mountain of pillows.

"Shhh!" Jake chastised. "You wake up Ruby and Annelise".

"Oh my God!" Libby had tears in her eyes. "Congratulations!"

"you're officially the first to know- do not tell anyone, if this gets back to Carrs Park before we visit there tomorrow, we'll have to kill you, and then I won't have a maid of honour". Rachel's blue eyes sparkled, and Libby gasped.

"You want me to be your maid of honour?"

"Did she seriously just ask that?" Jake chuckled. "Did you seriously just ask that?"

Libby kissed Rachel's cheek, squeezing her tight before pulling Jake into a hug. "Oh my God, I am so so so happy for you guys! When are you going to tell Ruby?"

"Should we wake her?" Jake raised an eyebrow, and Rachel shrugged.

"I think so".

Congratulating the couple again, Libby bid them farewell.

"I'll call you in the morning", Rachel promised, as Jake locked the door behind her.

Rachel knew that once Ruby was awake, the chances of her going back to sleep were slim. But she didn't want to keep her news from her daughter, knowing that if she did, Ruby would never let her forget it.

"Rubes", Rachel whispered gently, brushing her knotty blonde hair back. "Hey baby girl, wake up. I've got something to show you".

Ruby murmured something in her sleep, as Jake sat down on the end of the bed.

"Munchkin, we've got something to tell you", he said softly, as not to wake the sleeping brunette in the other bed.

"Whassa matter?" Ruby mumbled, squinting at her mother.

"Ruby, Jake proposed to Mummy", Rachel whispered to her, helping Ruby sit up under the blankets. "Jake and I are going to get married". She showed her the hand with the ring, and Ruby's eyes widened a little.

Sleep fell away from the little girl, as she looked excitedly at her parents.

"Really?" she squeaked.

"Shhh shh shh, Annelise is sleeping", Jake reminded her, motioning to the other girl.

"can I be a flower girl? I've never been a flower girl". She lowered her voice, tugging at her mother's hand to see the ring. "It's so pretty, Jake. I love it. When I get married, I'm gonna get a special ring like that".

Jake visibly paled at the thought, and Rachel chuckled gently.

"Yeah baby girl, you will. But shhh, it's really, really late. In the morning, Jake's gonna cook pancakes on the barbecue for us, and then maybe we'll go to Grandma's and Nanna's?"

"Can Annelise come?" Ruby wanted to know. "She's come to Grandma's before".

(Ruby's best friend was as much a part of the family as Ben's best friend Carbo, having been invited to Ruby's family birthday dinner in Carrs Park and family barbecues, solely so Ruby would have a friend to play with. But Ben and Nathan and Carbo and Alex had taken the little girl under their wings, treating her exactly the same as they did their niece. Annelise's family had done the same for Ruby, the tiny blonde having been invited over many times for swims in the family pool, making it out to her aunty and uncle's house to play with her cousins.)

"We'll have to call Sue and Garth and check, but I think she can", Rachel whispered.

As if she heard the conversation, Annelise stirred under her blankets, sleepily opening one eye. "Hi Rachel", she murmured, yawning. "Is it time to get up?"

"No, no, sweetheart, it's very late", Rachel soothed. "Sorry to wake you, we were just telling Ruby our special news".

"Did somethin' special happen?" she yawned again, her brain too fuzzy to comprehend.

"Mum and Jake are getting married!" Ruby squealed, unable to hold the news in any longer. "They're gonna get married, Lise!"

"Wow!" Annelise sat bolt upright in her bed, mirroring her friend. "Wow wow wow!"

Despite knowing that her mother would probably kill her for not telling her first, Rachel allowed the two girls to giggle early into the morning (hearing from Libby that they had crashed by seven thirty and had a solid four and a half hours sleep before Rachel and Jake inconsiderately woke them up), allowing them to sleep in in the morning.

Because once they were awake, they were going to Carrs Park.


	33. Chapter 33

"Married?"

"Oh my God!"

"Congratulations!"

"I'm gonna be a flower girl, Grandpa!"

"I'm so happy for you!"

Grace, Dave and Julie knew that they were living the life of a married couple- they were just waiting to make it official. And, by the ring on Rachel's finger, they were ready.

"So, who's gonna be in the wedding?" Alex put an arm around his brother, grinning. "Your favourite brother?"

"Perhaps your favourite brother in law?" Ben added, and Nathan smacked him in the chest.

Rachel chuckled, as Nathan opened his mouth.

"Rachel and I actually talked about it on the way here", Jake spoke up, and they turned to him eagerly. "We didn't think it would be fair if we had to choose from you guys, so we decided not to include any family members".

"'Cept me", Ruby spoke up.

"Yes, except for Ruby", Rachel agreed.

They had spoken about it after Ruby and Annelise had crashed once more (side by side, snuggled up in Ruby's bed, claiming to be too excited to sleep- Jake had turned his head to say something to Rachel and found both girls dead to the world), deciding that neither of them would have family in the wedding. Libby was to be Rachel's maid of honour (a title that Rachel would give to no one else), with Camel and George as Jake's groomsmen.

Neither of them wanted a big wedding- but with their families of board, they knew it would be a celebration to remember. A right Rafter rave (just like Ben's eighteenth birthday, Dave was quick to remind everyone- Dave's speeches were memorable in themselves).

"Oh, darling, I'm so happy for you". Grace hugged her son tight.

"We were waiting to see how long it'd take you to pluck up the courage!" Ben said cheekily, and Julie smacked his chest.

"Ben!"

"What? We were!" Alex defended, and Rachel laughed, leaning into Jake contently.


	34. Chapter 34

Almost eight years, their parents had been waiting. Eight months in the planning. But after all that time, their wedding day was there. The day that Rachel Rafter officially became Rachel Barton.

"Mummy, you look beautiful", Ruby declared, grinning at her mother.

"You're the beautiful one, Ruby", Rachel said softly, pulling her daughter into her lap. "I love you".

"Love you more", Ruby said automatically. "Hey Aunty Libby, look at Mum! She looks like a princess!"

"I see two princesses", Libby giggled. "You both look stunning- Rachel, oh my God, she looks just like you".

"I am so proud of you, Rach", Julie said gently, smiling at her.

"Thanks Mum". Rachel rested her head gently on her mother's head gently, and Julie pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"You've always made me and Dad proud. I've got a bet going with Ben; Dad's going to be the first to cry. Make him cry, Rach".

Rachel laughed. "I think Ben's gonna win, Mum".

"I knew you'd side with the boys". Julie frowned playfully and Rachel giggled, wrapping her arms around her.

"I love you, Mum".

"I love you more", Julie told her truthfully, still seeing a little girl no older than Ruby. "More than you will ever know".

* * *

"Hey Mum, can I go and see Jake?" Ruby wanted to know, bouncing on the balls of her bare feet.

"As long as you're fast", Rachel warned her. "Who's got your shoes? Why aren't you wearing them?"

"Aunty Libby!" Ruby raced past her mother, not even bothering to answer the question. Bypassing her uncles and great grandparents, she ran to the front of the church, where she had seen Jake and the groomsmen waiting.

"Rubes!" Jake called, as he saw the young girl skip past. "Where are your shoes?"

"Aunty Libby's got 'em!" she skidded to a stop, grinning that she had found him. "Do I look pretty, Jake?"

"You look even more beautiful than you usually do", he told her truthfully, taking in her white flower girl dress with the pink sash around her middle. Her blonde hair was curled and pinned back with little flower pins, a pink and white frangipani tucked behind her ear (matching the flowers that the bride would be carrying).

"You look gorgeous, munchkin". Jake gave her a quick hug, before tapping her on the nose. "Go, go, before Aunty Libby has a heart attack and thinks she's lost you all together".

"I'm not even lost!" Ruby laughed, hugging him back and continuing on her mission. "Bye Jake!"

"God she looks like her mother", George commented, and Camel nodded.

"She does", Jake said proudly. "I bet Rachel looks absolutely gorgeous-"

"Of course she will!" George grinned at him. "It's Rachel; she's going to look incredible. Both girls are going to look incredible".

* * *

Ruby poked her head into the church, grinning and giving the three boys at the end of the aisle a tiny wave. "Mum, they're waiting for you!"

"Jake looks a bit nervous", Libby commented.

"You ready for this, Rach?" Dave wanted to know, coming around the corner to meet the three girls.

"I'm ready". She nodded, and Ruby squeezed her hand excitedly.

"You'll always be my princess", Dave whispered to Rachel, as he linked arms with his eldest and only daughter. "I have to share you now".

"Sorry Dad, you've been sharing me for a long time now", Rachel laughed shakily. "Do I look pretty, Dad?"

"You look absolutely gorgeous", Dave said honestly. "I love you with every beat of my heart, Rachel Rafter, you're my little girl".

Turning to Ruby, he tapped his granddaughter on the nose. "I've only got one Rafter girl now, don't I Rubes?"

Ruby nodded. "I'm still a Rafter, Grandpa".

"I'll always be a Rafter, Dad". Rachel grinned at him, before squeezing Ruby's hand. "You ready for this, Rubes?"

"Ready, Mum".

"Ready for this, Libs?"

"Ready, Rach". Libby grinned at her, squeezing Ruby's other hand. "Are you ready, Miss Rafter soon to be Barton?"

"I'm ready". Rachel nodded.


	35. Chapter 35

With her arm clutched in her father's, Rachel Rafter made her way down the aisle, taking in the last few moments of being a Rafter.

"You look stunning", Jake told her, unable to wipe the grin off her face.

"Thank you- you scrubbed up pretty good". She smiled, and Dave kissed her cheek. "Thanks, Dad".

"Take care of my girls, Jake", Dave told him, and Jake nodded.

"I always do, Dave".

Ruby grinned, smiling at Jake.

"You look gorgeous too, Rubes", he added as an afterthought.

"Thanks Jake".

Jake was unable to wipe the smile off his face, as Rachel stood in front of him. He was completely biased, but she was the most beautiful woman in the room, and in his opinion, the world. There was no one more gorgeous than his Rachel Rafter (soon to be Barton, he thought with delight).

"Rachel Rafter, you are honestly the most beautiful woman I have ever seen", Jake said softly. "You are perfect in every single way, something you showed me when we were fifteen. I was fifteen when I fell in love with you, you and that beautiful little girl. Together, we've been through so much and I wouldn't trade any of it for anything. I loved you then, I love you now, and I'll love you always. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you".

"Jake Barton", Rachel began, tears glistening in her voice. "I fell in love with you when we were fifteen, and I've been falling harder and harder every single day since. You are the most amazing man I've ever met; you would drop anything for your family. Your heart of gold shines above all, you let me and my daughter into your heart when we were sixteen and we haven't looked back since. I'm not asking for the moon and the stars, I'm just after someone to stand under them with me". Swallowing hard, she tried to get out her final line. "I can't wait to grow old with you".

Exchanging rings with Ruby bouncing excitedly (because she and Libby had pored over bridal magazines, the seven year old more excited than her mother); the celebrant said the words Rachel had been waiting for since she had woken up that morning.

"You may kiss the bride".

And as Jake kissed Rachel, everyone erupted into cheers, no one whooping louder than little Ruby Rafter.

"Yay Mummy!" she laughed, as Camel lifted her onto his shoulder. "Yay Jake!"

Letting go of Rachel, Jake held out his arms for Ruby, holding her to his hip as he and Rachel, hand in hand, returned back down the aisle and out of the church.

* * *

"For everyone who doesn't know me, I'm Dave, the father of the gorgeous bride", Dave said with a smile, his champagne glass in the air. "I've known Jake since we first moved to Sydney, and I am so happy that my daughter chose him to marry. They've been together since they were sixteen, and there are few couples that are as well suited as my Rachel and Jake".

Jake squeezed Rachel's hand, and Ruby grinned excitedly, moving to stand with her grandfather. Dave picked her up with one arm, kissing her on the cheek.

"Rachel's made me nothing but proud since the very first moment I saw her- my Rachel's been through a lot, but Jake's been there the whole time. If my two boys are even half as happy as their sister when they get married, I'll know Julie and I have done something right".

Ben and Nathan grinned at their sister, as tears gathered in her eyes.

"Congratulations, Jake, welcome officially to the family", Dave said, tears glistening in his eyes, and Ruby hugged him tight. "Take care of my girls for me. To Jake and Rachel!"

"To Jake and Rachel!" Ben and Nathan whistled, making their sister laugh.

"To Jake and Mummy!" Ruby echoed, making the entire congregation laugh.

For the most untraditional couple to grace the earth (Ben's words, and Julie had smacked him in the chest), their wedding was traditional. After Dave's speech, the bride and groom danced with their parents, Dave and Rachel and Grace and Jake respectively.

"Come on Rach!" Nathan grabbed his sister by her left arm, and Ben grabbed her right.

"Yeah, why don't we get a dance with our favourite sister? Jake got to dance with you!"

Rachel squealed, as Ben and Nathan lifted her off the ground. "Ben! Nathan!"

"The three Rafters", Nathan said sentimentally, as they hauled her onto the dance floor.

"The two Rafters and a Barton", Rachel corrected, grinning. "Oh my God, I can't believe it's actually true".

"He's a lucky guy, Rach", Ben said sincerely.

"He really is", Nathan agreed. "We don't tell you, but…"

"We're proud of you, Rach", Ben finished. "You turned out okay".

"Thanks, guys!" she said, laughing.

"No, seriously! After all the shit that happened, you turned out okay", Ben said brightly. "I mean, you scored a guy who would freaking give you the moon if you asked, and a daughter that worships the ground you walk on".

Rachel, laughing, hugged the two of them. "I know I never say it, but you two are awesome. You really are".

"Love ya, Rach", Ben said.

"Love you too, Benny".

"Love you, Rach".

"Love you, Nath".

Ruby watched the exchange between her mother and her uncles from the edge of the dance floor, looking around. She had danced with everyone in the room- her mum, her uncles, her grandparents and great grandparents, Theo and Rita (who were as much her grandparents as Dave and Julie and Grace) and all of Rachel and Jake's friends.

But she hadn't danced with her daddy.

Scanning the room for Jake, she frowned when she saw him talking to Libby and Grace, over the other side of the room. Padding barefoot across the floorboards (because Ruby was very much like her mother, having abandoned her heels by the time they sat down for speeches), she waved shyly to Grace.

"Someone wants a dance", Grace said quietly to Ruby, spying the little girl moving towards them.

Jake was quick to act, turning around to spot the tiny blonde.

"Ruby Louise", Jake called, holding out his hand. "Can I have this dance?"

Ruby beamed, as she took his hand. "Yes Jake", she giggled. "You can". Wrapping her arms around him, she squeezed her tight. "Jake?"

"Yeah bub?"

"You're my favourite guy".

The grin on his face grew even wider, as he heard her whispered confession.

"Rubes?"

"Yeah Jake?" she looked up at him, her blue eyes shining.

"Don't tell Mummy, but you're my favourite girl".

Ruby giggled. "I won't".

He had considered himself a father- a dad- since he was sixteen, when he and Rachel officially became a couple. But now they were married (he still couldn't believe it), and he was officially a dad. And spinning the little girl around and making her giggle, he knew it was a job he wouldn't trade for the world.

"My two favourite people in the whole world", Rachel declared, as she moved towards them, wrapping her arms around Ruby and kissing Jake's cheek.

"We're really a family now, aren't we?" Ruby whispered.

"We always were a family", Jake said, as he hoisted Ruby onto his hip, squeezing her tight. Wrapping his free arm around Rachel, he pressed a kiss to the top of his head. "This just makes it official".


	36. Chapter 36

When Rachel was fourteen and had looked at that positive pregnancy test, she thought her life was over. She knew her life was over.

But she had gotten through it, and had a beautiful baby girl.

But at twenty six, looking at the pink positive sign on the stick in her hand, she knew her life was far from over. That baby, boy or girl, would only add to the joy in her life.

"Jake", she called, wandering out of the bathroom. The rain had led to her husband having the day off, and the pair had spent most of the morning curled up together on the couch, watching movies. "Jake, oh my God, guess what?"

"What's up baby?" Jake called from the kitchen. "Do you want chicken on your sandwich? Chicken or ham? I can't decide".

"Jake, I'm pregnant".

There was no sugar coating it, no beating around the bush. She told him how it was.

"Excuse me?" Jake's eyes widened, and he set down the loaf of bread. "What did you say?"

"I said I'm pregnant".

"Are you serious?"

"Yes".

"You're pregnant?"

"Yes".

"As in, with child?"

"Yes".

"You and me are going to have a baby?"

"Yes Jake. Pregnant, knocked up, up the duff, bun in the oven. However you want to say it, we're having a baby together". She beamed at Jake, thrusting the positive pregnancy test at him. Jake reacted quicker than she expected him to, picking her up and swinging her around.

"We're gonna have a baby!" he whooped. "I'm gonna be a daddy again!"

(The way he said 'again' made her heart soar; because he was the only man she wanted to parent Ruby.)

"Ruby's gonna be a big sister", she added.

"Oh my God, can we tell Ruby? Do we tell Ruby? When do we tell everyone?"

"Of course we're going to tell Ruby, I can't exactly hide a pregnancy from her", she chuckled. "They say not to tell anyone until you is past the first trimester- so twelve weeks, but I told people when I was pregnant with Ruby. Scrap that, I told my family when I was pregnant with Ruby. There's more chance of a miscarriage in the first twelve weeks, which is why it's best to wait".

Jake was quiet for a moment. "Let's not tell our parents yet".

"No, not yet", she agreed. "They're busy trying to get Ben to move out!"

(Every family had its baby- and in theirs, it happened to be Ben, their middle child, Julie had quipped the last time they had visited Carrs Park. With Nathan newly married, Dave's next mission in life was to get Ben out of the house.)

"Let's tell Ruby". Jake's eyes shone. "No! Let's do something really special to tell her she's gonna be a big sister. We can get her a shirt!"

"With a matching hat!" Rachel laughed in agreement (realising, as the words came out of her mouth, that she was more like her brother Ben than she had ever realised), and Jake abandoned the sandwiches he was making in favour of grabbing the car keys.

"Let's go".

* * *

In the end, Jake couldn't find a shirt with the words 'big sister' on it. And Rachel couldn't find a matching hat.

So, they bought a cake from the grocery store (Rachel's baking skills not having improved since Ruby was little), and dropping Rachel off at home, Jake continued along to pick up the smaller blonde.

"Hey Jake", Ruby said brightly, climbing into the passenger seat of the car.

"Hey Rubes", Jake said just as cheerfully, before pulling back onto the road. "How was school?"

"Good- we got to watch Nemo because of the rain".

"That sounds like a great day".

"What are you grinning about?" she demanded to know.

"Nothing, nothing". But Jake still smiled, as they drove home in virtual silence. Ruby bounced into the house ahead of Jake, as she flew into the kitchen to hug her mother.

"Hey Mum!"

"Hey Rubes- want some cake?"

The chocolate cake sat on the kitchen table on their favourite cake board (reserved solely for birthdays and celebrations of such), and Ruby nodded eagerly.

Plopping down at her usual seat, she eyed the cake, and her eyes grew wide.

"Congratulations big sister", she read the white frosting in her mother's writing, and Rachel almost laughed at the comical way her eyes grew to the size of saucers. "A baby?" Ruby's saucers sparkled with excitement, as the news registered. "I'm gonna be a big sister?"

"You're gonna be a big sister", Rachel confirmed with a grin.

Leaping up from her seat, she threw her arms around both Rachel and Jake at the same time, squeezing them tighter than she ever had before.


	37. Chapter 37

"We're here!" Jake called, swinging open the door to the Rafter house. Ruby and Annelise ducked ahead of him, running into the lounge room to greet the rest of the family.

"Hi Grandma!"

"Hi Mrs Rafter!"

"Hello, Ruby darling! Hi Annelise sweetheart, how are you?"

Ruby dived at Ben, the latter catching her with a thump.

"God, Rubes! Don't you think you're too big to be doing that?"

"No, we're too big to both do it", Annelise said with a grin.

"You're a bad influence on her, Ruby Rafter", Nathan said, shaking his head. "I remember this sweet little girl I met at your sixth birthday… what happened?"

The pair of teenagers laughed at the banter, as Rachel swayed into the room.

"Look at you, look at that smile!" Grace laughed. "Something good must have happened".

"Yeah, something did, actually". Jake grinned at her, and she squeezed his hand.

"You can tell them".

Sammy and Melissa Rafter (Nathan and Ben's wives, respectively) said it before Jake could.

"You're having a baby!" the two brunettes said in unison, and Ruby stared.

"That was weird", Annelise murmured (Ruby having whispered her secret to weeks earlier, unable to keep it quiet to her best friend), and Ruby nodded in agreement.

"We're having a baby", Jake confirmed with a grin, and Rachel beamed so hard she thought her face would crack.

"I'm gonna be an Uncle again!"

"We're going to be grandmothers again!" Grace said to Julie excitedly, as Julie threw her arms around her daughter.

"Oh, darling, congratulations!"

"Congratulations, Jake!"

"Hey, congrats big sister", Nathan said to Ruby with a grin, and Ruby hugged him quickly.

"Thanks, Uncle Nath".

"If it's a boy you should call it Nick!" Carbo spoke up, and there was a unanimous groan.

"We aren't calling it Nick!"


	38. Chapter 38

"Mum", Ruby said conversationally, sprawling herself on Jake's side of the bed beside her mother and yawning slightly.

"Morning Ruby", Rachel said, smiling at her daughter. When she came into the room fresh from sleep, her eleven year old looked so much younger than she actually was. Her baby face was highlighted by her sleepy features and Rachel was reminded very much of the five year old who would wander in in the early hours of the morning, climbing between them with her cold fingers and cold toes, trying to take the blankets and the pillows.

Her hair was tousled and her eyes were sleepy, as she laid her head on a pillow, wearing trackpants and a rumpled hoodie instead of pyjamas. "Mum…"

"What's up, Rubes?" Rachel grinned at the eleven year old, reaching over to smooth down her hair. "You went to bed too late last night, girly; I can see it in your eyes. Weren't you wearing that last night?"

"Yeah, I forgot to get changed before I fell asleep", Ruby said sheepishly. "Nothing much…" Ruby yawned slightly, pulling the blanket up over her. "Mum, what was my real dad like?"

"What?" Rachel sat up straight, her eyes wide.

Ruby had never questioned her paternity- something that Rachel was glad about her inquisitive daughter. As far as Ruby was concerned, Jake was her dad to her, and that was all that mattered.

"Why?" Rachel choked out, reaching for the glass of water beside her bed.

"I was just wondering!" Ruby defended, concerned at her mother's reaction. "What was he like? Where did you meet him? Do I look like him?"

"No, you don't", Rachel said firmly, shaking her head.

Ruby had always had a gut feeling that her father wasn't a good man. And the way her mother so flat out told her that she didn't look like him, hiding all details, made her even more suspicious.

"Where did you meet him?" she persisted.

"School".

"Oh… was he in your class?"

"Yeah, he was".

"How long did you two go out for?"

"We had three dates".

"Really?" Ruby's eyes widened a little, although she tried not to show it. She'd always envisioned her mother being in a serious relationship with the boy she'd had a kid with, but obviously that was not how it planned out.

"Yeah". Rachel nodded, not wanting to go any further and trying to change the topic desperately. Food had always distracted Ruby when she was younger; she hoped the topic of a late Saturday breakfast would make her forget her questions. "Do you want some brekky, Rubes? Jake was going to make us either bacon and eggs and hash browns or pancakes, what do you feel like? I'm feeling like bacon and eggs, myself".

"Mum…"

"Yes?"

"Did he hurt you?"

Rachel didn't want to tell her. She had wanted to keep her baby girl wrapped up and innocent, away from the dangers the real world had to offer. She knew it was impossible, but she had vowed when Ruby was born never to let anyone hurt her. With the help of her family, she had protected the little girl for eleven years, but all that was going to come crashing down.

Rachel tried not to meet her daughter's eyes, as she nodded slightly. "Yes, Ruby. He did".

"Oh my God". Ruby sat up, kicking the blankets off. "Mum, he raped you, didn't he?"

She didn't have to ask. She knew the answer.

"Ruby-"

Ruby didn't think about her actions before she moved. She just leapt off the bed and ran, grabbing her sneakers before slamming the front door behind her.

"Where is she going?" Jake yelled through the back door, having missed the whole exchange while trying to work out whether he needed to take the barbecue's gas bottle down to be refilled.

Rachel met him at the back door, tears streaming down her face.

"Good God, I was outside for ten minutes!" he said, bewildered. "What happened?"

"She found out about Daniel".

He paled a little. "She found out what about Daniel, exactly?" he said, trying to keep his voice even, despite knowing the answer.

Rachel wiped her face. "Jake, she doesn't want to see me, I know her well enough to know that", she choked out. "Can you please go and get her?"

"Of course baby".

Changing from his pyjamas shorts and singlet to jeans and a t shirt, Jake grabbed his car keys before kissing his wife goodbye.

"I've got my phone, call me if she comes back".

* * *

"Ruby!" nine year old Mikaela said brightly, opening the front door in her ugg boots and pyjamas pants.

"Hey Mikaela, is Annelise home?"

"Yeah, she's in her room. Go and get her". Mikaela shrugged, letting the blonde in. Greeting Sue and Garth (who treated her as if she were their own); she made her way towards her best friend's room.

"Ruby!" Annelise sat up on her bed, sporting a similar attire to her best friend, closing her book. "I thought you couldn't come over today? You're here so early, I didn't even think you'd be awake! I only just woke up- it's like nine thirty".

Ruby closed the door, taking a seat on her desk chair. "Mum and Jake don't know I'm here".

"What?"

"Annelise, I found out about my real dad", Ruby blurted out.

"What?" the brunette's eyes widened and she jumped up, leaping off the bed. "What happened? Did he come to your place? Is that why you're here?"

"No, no". Ruby shook her head, tears pooling in her eyes. "It's not because… Lise, Mum was raped. He was her boyfriend when she was fourteen and he raped her. That's the only reason I was born, because she was raped".

"What?"

If it were possible, Annelise's eyes would have fallen out of her head.

"Are you sure?" the brunette persisted.

"Of course I'm sure, I know my mum! That's why she never said anything, that's why she never told me anything about my real dad".

"Jake's always been your dad, for as long as you can remember", she tried to reason.

"Yeah, but not biologically", Ruby argued. "Biologically, my father is the boy Mum had three dates with in high school who raped her when she was fourteen".

Annelise didn't know what to say, as she helped her best friend onto her bed, providing a shoulder to cry on for the slightly younger blonde.


	39. Chapter 39

After checking the park, Jake drove to the train station, feeling as if she had gone to lob a train to Carrs Park. And knowing the timetables like he did, if she had, she'd still be at the station waiting.

But upon finding the station empty of the eleven year old, Jake decided to drive around the town they called home, before slapping himself for being so dense.

He knew exactly where she was, as he dialled a number he knew very well.

"Hello?" Garth Hamilton answered.

"Hey Garth, mate, its Jake Barton".

"Hi!" he said cheerfully. "Annelise wanted to know if Ruby could stay for a late brekky, Sue was just about to call Rachel and ask-"

"Sorry, mate, maybe some other time", Jake interjected. "Ruby's at your house?"

"Yeah, she said it was okay with you two. They're holed up in Annelise's room discussing something important, Sue went to offer them a drink and breakfast and Annelise all but slammed the door in her face".

"Sorry, mate, Ruby didn't even tell us she was going", Jake apologised. "I'm going to come and get her".

"That's fine, mate. She'll be waiting".

And when Jake pulled up outside the Hamilton house, he found Ruby waiting on the front veranda, hand in hand with Annelise.

"Ruby Louise", he said, trying to hold back the emotion in his voice.

"Sorry", she whispered, her voice shaking with unshed tears, and he held out his arms. Holding her tight, he kissed the top of her head, turning to Annelise.

"Lise, thank you", he said gently. "Thanks for looking after her".

"I'll call you tonight", Ruby said, her voice muffled by Jake's shirt.

Annelise nodded. "Bye Jake. Bye Ruby".

"Annelise", Sue said sternly, turning to her daughter. "What happened?"

Jake turned to the young brunette, his eyes giving her a silent apology. Annelise just trudged into the house, her parents right behind her.

"You and me, we're gonna have a talk". Jake looked at Ruby, as they headed towards the car. "We need to talk".

"Not at home", Ruby said firmly. "I don't want to talk to Mum".

"No, we're not going home".

They drove in silence to the park, but by the time Jake parked the car, Ruby had burst into tears.

"Why doesn't she hate me?" Ruby sobbed.

"Rubes, she could never hate you", Jake soothed, rubbing her back. It wasn't the time to punish the girl, when she was in the state that she was in (although she would regret running the way she did, he vowed- she was too young to go gallivanting the streets on her own, and at that point in time, he realised that he had essentially turned into his mother). She wanted comfort, and Jake was prepared to give it to her.

"Why not? I was only born because of what he did to her!"

Sobs shook her body, and Jake ached for the little girl he had vowed to protect until he died.

"Mum loves you, Rubes", he said gently. "She'd do anything for you; she loves you more than anything in the world".

"How can she not look at me and see him? How can she not hate me? How can I not just be a reminder of what happened? How can YOU love me? I'm not even your kid, and you knew exactly how I was born!"

She pulled away from him, standing up and Jake grabbed her wrist.

"You, Ruby Louise, are not your father", he said firmly. "You could never be him. You're you. You're our baby girl, and that's why we love you".

"But she shouldn't have even had me!" Ruby said desperately. "Why the hell didn't she get an abortion?"

Jake didn't even know what to say to the girl, choosing to remain silent (although in his mind he was screaming, because how did his eleven year old know about abortions? She should have still been wearing overalls with her hair in pigtails). Ruby crumpled in tears, leaning against his chest and Jake cradled her, like he had done when she was little and had a bad dream.

"Your father… when it happened, it nearly destroyed her", Jake said honestly. "It's not something that you ever recover from. But I can tell you now with absolute, one hundred and ten percent certainty, that your mum has never once regretted having you and keeping you. You're the single good thing that came out of that relationship".

Ruby shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "How can she love me?" she whimpered.

"Because that's what mothers do", Jake said softly. "No matter what she's been through, no matter how much it hurts and how broken she feels, a mother will look at her baby and she will love them with every beat of her heart. It was hard for Rach, to get her head around everything. She struggled. She'll admit that. When you were so tiny she loved you so much, but she found it hard to express that. But she persisted, Rubes, she never gave up".

Ruby nodded slightly, as Jake used the pads of his thumbs to wipe her cheeks.

"I think she's succeeded, what do you think?"

"She's the best mum in the world", Ruby said quietly.

"It doesn't matter where you came from", he murmured, kissing the top of her head. "You take after your mother, not your father. He's nothing more than a sperm donor, he's completely irrelevant".

"You're my dad", she whispered. "He's just a sperm donor".

"Exactly. We've been through it all, your mum, me and you".

"But my whole life's been a lie-"

"How was it a lie to say we love you?" Jake interrupted with an edge on his voice. "That we would do everything we possibly could to keep you happy and safe, to die for you? Every laugh we've ever shared, all the love and support and fun- all the ice cream, how proud we've been of you… Ruby Louise, all of that is true". Jake looked into her eyes, as he brushed her hair off her face. "You're our girl. And we wouldn't trade anything about you".

"How can she love me?" Ruby whispered again.

"It was hard for her to be your mum, at first", Jake told her truthfully, as he held her tight. "When your grandparents and uncles moved to Carrs Park, your mum struggled. But she got through it. Uncle Camel and Uncle George and Aunty Libby and I, we helped your mum parent you. But you're her daughter. You're our daughter. When Rach looks at you, she sees our beautiful daughter. Your hair and your beautiful eyes. You're infectious laugh and your zest for life. You, munchkin, are the most beautiful girl in the world, and it doesn't matter how you came to be. You're my girl and I love you to bits".

Instead of the eleven year old sitting beside him, he saw the eight year old he had danced with on the day he had married her mother, looking equally as beautiful as the blushing bride. He saw the four year old who had broken her arm, and the two year old that had cheered on the sidelines of every football and cricket game he and her uncles had played, despite the bitter winter temperatures and the scorching summer heat. He saw the little girl he called his own, no matter what happened.

"Jake, can we go home?" Ruby said finally. "I want to tell my mum I love her".

So Jake started up the engine once more, and the pair drove in silence back to their house. Ruby was out of the passenger side door before Jake had even put the car into park, running towards the house and skidding to a stop at the front door.

"Mum", Ruby said, and Rachel rushed towards her, holding her tight.

"I don't care", Rachel whispered to her, her tears threatening to fall. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, and I wouldn't change anything for the world".

"I love you", Ruby whispered into her chest.

"I love you so much more". Rachel held her tight, resting her chin on top of Ruby's head.


	40. Chapter 40

"She's beautiful", Jake whispered, as he ran his finger over his daughter's soft cheek. "Oh my God, Rach, she's even more gorgeous than I ever imagined".

"She's beautiful", Rachel choked back a sob. "She looks just like Ruby when she was born".

Jake pressed a kiss to his wife's forehead, smiling down at their baby.

"Welcome to the world, Taylah Jayne", Rachel said softly.

"Seven pounds and three ounces of perfection", Jake added, beaming. "I'm gonna go and pick up Ruby".

(Rachel's contractions had started at ten thirty the night before, and Libby had immediately rushed over to watch the sleeping eleven year old. That morning, with Rachel six centimetres dilated, Jake had received a message from the other woman, claiming that Ruby had rushed towards her best friend and their screams had echoed through the playground.)

"She's going to be excited". Rachel grinned, as she adjusted her newborn's little pink blanket. "Your big sister can't wait to meet you, beautiful girl".

"Ruby and Annelise are going to teach her everything they know", Jake chuckled.

"Yeah, let's hope they don't". Rachel grinned. "Go and get Ruby, we'll wait here".

"Love you!"

* * *

"I wonder if your mum's had the baby yet", Annelise said conversationally to her best friend, and Ruby shrugged, finding herself unable to concentrate on her work in anticipation.

"I hope so! I really want to meet my baby brother or sister".

There was a knock on the classroom door, and both girls' heads turned towards it, curious to see who their classroom visitor was.

"Mr Barton!" their teacher said in surprise.

"Hey Mrs Maclean, am I able to take Ruby home?" Jake said brightly, and Ruby bounced off her seat.

"Jake!"

"Hey, there she is! Congratulations big sister!"

"Mum had the baby?" Ruby squeaked, and Annelise jumped up to hug her.

"Rachel had the baby?"

"Taylah Jayne", Jake confirmed.

"Congratulations, Mr Barton!" Mrs Maclean said with a grin.

"Lise, I've got a sister!" Ruby squealed, and her friends whooped.

"Congratulations, big sister!" Annelise laughed. Looking at Jake, she hugged her friend again before hugging him.

"Sorry Lise, I wish you could come too, but I can't sign you out", he apologised.

"Congratulations, guys". Mrs Maclean grinned at the father daughter pair, as Ruby grabbed her bag.

"Thank you".

"I'll let Mum and Dad know!" Annelise said brightly (Sue had only asked her that morning about when Rachel's baby was due).

"Thanks Lise- see you tomorrow!" Ruby waved, before dragging Jake out to the car, chatting the whole way. "I can't believe I'm a big sister! Finally! I have a sister!"

* * *

"Mum, she's beautiful", Ruby said softly, as her mother adjusted her baby sister in her arms. "She's really, really cute. Did I look like that when I was born?"

Rachel put an arm around Ruby, pressing a kiss to her cheek and nodding. "You're both so gorgeous. You were a lot smaller, though. She's seven pounds three and you were five pounds eleven, you were absolutely tiny".

Eleven years earlier, when she was in the same position, she was nowhere near the woman she was that day. She was scared senseless with a newborn in her arms, all the while nurses and doctors shooting her dirty looks for having a child that young. But, looking at the young woman Ruby was growing into, she knew she'd done the right thing.

"Hey Taylah", Ruby said quietly, running a finger over her little sister's soft cheek. "Welcome to the family. It's really loud and really crazy, but I love it. You'll never be lonely". Pressing a kiss to her little nose, she smiled. "I'll always look out for you, and teach you everything. Annelise and I will teach you everything".

"Not everything", Jake interjected, and Rachel frowned at him for interrupting the touching family moment.

"I love you". Ruby beamed with a glow that could only be described as 'big sister', making Rachel and Jake grin.


	41. Chapter 41

"She is so cute", Ruby grinned down at her little sister, who was napping on her bed, lying between her and her best friend. "Isn't she cute, Lise?"

"She's adorable", Annelise said with a grin. "Want to swap her with Mikaela?"

"No thanks". Mikaela had been like a little sister for almost seven years, but right then Ruby was happy with little Taylah Jayne.

"Yeah, she'll be a better sister than Mikaela, anyway". Annelise smiled, as she drew patterns on the sleeping infant's stomach. "I'm going to write her a list of dos and don'ts for when she gets older".

"I think she'll be right".

"I think it's necessary". Annelise grinned and Ruby smacked her in the face with a pillow, trying to hold back her giggles. "Shut up, you'll wake the baby!"

"Please, that kid can sleep through anything", Ruby scoffed, giggling a little. "Last weekend we had the entire family here, and she slept the entire time. That's no easy feat- how did I used to sleep through them?" she wondered suddenly. "Mum and I lived through that!"

Annelise broke into laughter and Ruby shoved a pillow into her face to muffle her friend's laughter. "Shut up, not even this kid can sleep through you!"

In Ruby's eyes (and her parents') Taylah Jayne was perfect. And when eight pound four ounce Patrick Nicholas screeched his way into the world three and a half years later, Ruby and Taylah both thought he was perfect.


	42. Chapter 42

"Happy anniversary!" fourteen year old Ruby sang brightly, as she came into her parents' bedroom. Three year old Taylah clutched her hand, and five month old Patrick sat on her hip, as she led them towards the bed. "Good morning!"

"Who did you take after?" Rachel groaned playfully, squeezing her eyes shut. "Rubes, its early, come back when it's a decent hour".

"It's like seven o'clock".

"Yeah, we've been up FOREVER!" Taylah said dramatically, climbing up to rest in between her parents.

"Taylah Jayne, shift", Ruby ordered. "That's my spot". Rachel groaned, as Ruby shuffled between them, the baby resting on her stomach. "Alrighty, parents, we have a special anniversary gift for you!"

"Letting us sleep in would be a gift", Jake muttered into his pillow, and Patrick gurgled at his father. "Hey buddy, good morning".

"We reserved a table at the Shanghai Express for two, and our aunts and uncles will be meeting you at the boat club for drinks afterwards", Ruby grinned at them.

"Head count- Rubes, there's five of us".

"Mum, I'm perfectly capable of looking after them for the night". Ruby grinned at her. "Besides, Annelise is coming. We already cleared it with Garth and Sue".

"Of course you did". Rachel rolled her eyes heavenward. "Ruby, thank you, but this is a lot, even for the two of you".

"Mum". Ruby matched her with a firm stare. "I can handle it. Besides, if we need help we'll call Sue. Or Aunty Libby, she's just five minutes away! You and Jake go and have a good night, alright?"

Jake leaned over, kissing their eldest on the cheek. "You're awesome, Ruby Lou".

"I know", she said with a grin. "Go out, have fun. You haven't been anywhere since the baby was born!"

Rachel kissed her eldest daughter's cheek, smiling at her. "You're a legend, Ruby Louise".

"Yeah I am".

Taylah nodded, yawning and closing her eyes, snuggling up beside her father. "Daddy, let's have pancakes on the barbecue".

"Pancakes sound good". Ruby nodded, yawning.

"Are you serious?" Rachel groaned, as Ruby and Taylah settled down into the bed. "You march in here at a ridiculously early hour, crawl all over us with your cold little hands and then decide you're still tired? After you wake us up?"

"Yep".

Jake groaned playfully, before kicking aside his blankets. "I'll go start the barbecue".

"Jake, you're a legend", Ruby declared, blowing him a kiss.

* * *

That night, Rachel and Jake said goodbye to their children and their eldest's best friend, before jumping in the car and driving away (before Ruby and Annelise could change their mind, Jake had chuckled as he accelerated down the street), leaving their three year old and five month old in the hands of a fourteen year old and a fifteen year old.

After watching Monsters Inc. (a classic film that both Annelise and Ruby could quote, much to the amusement of three year old Taylah), they fed both children (Annelise cooked an omelette for little Taylah while Ruby fed Patrick a bottle and chocolate custard), before bathing them and tossing them into bed.

"I would make the best housewife ever", Ruby said with a grin, looking around the kitchen. "I mean, look at this! Two kids fed and bathed and asleep, dinner on the table for us, dishes are clean… and look at that, there's a movie ready to go in the DVD player!"

"I love how we cooked for the kids and ordered takeaway for us", Annelise chuckled, as she got cutlery out of the drawer. The two girls, giggling quietly, picked up their dinner and the big bowl of popcorn Annelise had popped while Ruby was reading a story to her sister, moving into the lounge room to watch their movie.

Taking a bite of her noodles, Annelise turned to her best friend, only half paying attention to the television. "Have you told Jake and Rachel about Dale asking you out?"

"He didn't actually ask me out, remember?" Ruby said, twirling noodles around her fork. "He just said I was a cool chick to hang around".

"Yeah, he basically asked you out".

"When he does, then I'll tell Mum and Jake". Ruby nodded, turning her head back to the television. "I don't think they'd let me, anyway".

"Why not?" Annelise protested.

"Because I'm fourteen, and at fourteen, my mother was pregnant with me". Ruby nodded. "I'm absolutely positive that that will be their answer. Mum's scared that I'm going to get knocked up".

"But that's not going to happen".

"Do you think I thought it was going to happen to me?" Rachel mimicked. "I'll let you know how it goes, Lise, but I can almost guarantee it's going to end like that".

Annelise shrugged, turning back to the movie and her noodles. "Excuse me for living vicariously through your love life", she grumbled playfully. "I'm gonna be forever alone with cats!"

"Aw, baby", Ruby cooed. "Don't worry. You'll always have me".

"I don't know what's worse!" Annelise grinned and Ruby smacked her with a pillow, making the girl burst into giggles. And the two laughed for a solid five minutes, until Ruby realised that they were almost definitely going to wake up the two kids.

"Shut up or you can go and put them back to bed!" she warned, picking up her plate again. "Now watch the movie, it's a classic".

"It's a classic", Annelise said, unable to wipe the grin off her face.


	43. Chapter 43

"Mum!" Ruby called excitedly, rushing through the house. "Mum, guess what?"

"What?" Rachel called from her bedroom. With Taylah down for her afternoon nap (despite the noise their big sister made, both Taylah and Patrick could sleep through anything) and the baby snoozing beside her, Rachel had decided to take the time to work on her laptop. "I'm in our room, Rubes".

Tossing her backpack into her bedroom, she kicked off her shoes before bouncing into her parents' room, plopping down on the bed and lying on her stomach beside her sleeping baby brother.

"Mum, are you gonna guess?"

"Something good happened", Rachel grinned, seeing the sparkle in Ruby's eyes. "I'm not up for guessing games, Rubes, not today. Spill the beans, girl, what's up?"

"You know Dale, the really cute guy who's in my English class?"

"Isn't he the one Annelise has a crush on?"

(Rachel prided herself in being the 'cool mum' who was kept up to date with the goss from school. Annelise and Ruby told her almost everything, and compared to Sue Hamilton, Rachel knew it all.)

"No, no, that's Ajay", Ruby corrected, and Rachel nodded in understanding (although she wasn't completely up to date in the love lives of Ruby's friends, she was able to recall Ruby gently teasing her best friend the last time she slept over, and Annelise beating her daughter over the head with a pillow. It was a sight that Rachel never got tired of, seeing the two girls interact. Their friendship had done nothing but grow since their very first day of kindergarten). "No, Dale's the really cute guy from my English class! He's not just in my English class, he's in some of my other classes too-"

"Ruby", Rachel chuckled. "The point?"

"mum, he asked if I could go to the movies on Saturday night and said he's liked me for a while!" she let out a quiet squeal (careful not to wake the baby), rolling onto her back and hugging a pillow to her chest. "Can I go, Mum, can I go? Please?"

"Aw, Rubes!" Rachel squealed gently. Although it frightened her at how fast she was growing up (because her baby was fourteen, and when did she become a teenager? Somewhere between outgrowing her overalls and stopping asking Jake to check under her bed for monsters, she supposed sadly), she was happy at how excited she was.

But that brought on a whole different round of worries and emotions.

"Rubes, I'll have to think about it, alright?"

Ruby nodded (because, ever the optimist, an 'I'll think about it' was better than a flat out 'no' any day).

* * *

Discussing Ruby dating with Jake was something that Rachel never thought she'd be doing. Because Ruby was just a baby, and then they blinked. And she was fourteen and in high school and wearing makeup (minimal, mascara and eyeliner with a touch of clear lip gloss at the maximum) and a bra ("Mum, I seem to have inherited your boobs". "Sorry, Rubes".).

"No".

The words had barely left her mouth before Jake shook his head.

"No, I don't like that idea", he said firmly, and Rachel stared.

"You're going to break her heart", she said after a moment.

"I'd rather break her heart than have to piece it together again after that douche tears it right out of her chest".

"Jake, don't call him a douche, you don't even know him!"

Although she was defending the young boy who had captured her daughter's heart, inside, Rachel was siding with her husband. Ruby was fourteen, and at fourteen, Rachel had wound up pregnant and broken hearted.

"I don't care. He's going to end up hurting her, Rach, and I don't want her hurt". His voice softened slightly, as he squeezed her hand. "She's my girl, and I don't want her heartbroken. Or worse, pregnant".

"I know, I know", she agreed.

"I'm not going to get pregnant", Ruby said from the doorway. "I'm not like that, Jake".

"And I was?" Rachel said incredulously.

"No, Mum, I didn't mean it like that", Ruby said, running into the room and throwing herself at her mother (a habit that she hadn't outgrown, much to her mother's amusement. And displeasure). "I meant to say that I'm not going to get hurt. I just wanted to go to the movies, Jake. We just wanted to go to the movies".

"Ruby, I know you want to, baby, but you have to see this from my perspective", Rachel said gently. "I thought it was just a date".

"I know, but-"

"Ruby", Jake said sternly, and she let out a frustrated scream, stomping off down the hallway and slamming her bedroom door.

"Shut the door properly or I'll take it off!" Rachel yelled after her in frustration.


	44. Chapter 44

That night, Rachel couldn't sleep. She laid there in the bed she and Jake shared, staring at the ceiling, her mind working faster than she could comprehend.

"Go to sleep", Jake groaned beside her, and she jumped.

"I thought you were asleep!"

"I can hear your mind working, it's very distracting". With a grunt, Jake leaned over to flick on his bedside lamp. "What's going through that pretty head of yours, Rach?"

"Ruby".

He sighed, flopping back against the pillow. "I know".

"I mean, I want to be able to say yes, she should be able to date and all that", Rachel said, "But I don't want her to get hurt. I promised that I'd never let her get hurt, and I can't exactly do that if I'm allowing her to go and get her heart broken now can I?" she frowned. "But Dad said the same thing, and he still let me go out with Daniel. And I mean, I'm glad I did, otherwise I wouldn't have Ruby, but at the time I regretted everything".

"Rach-"

"What do I do, Jake?" she said desperately, and Jake put an arm around her, kissing the top of her head.

"I don't know, Rach", he said helplessly. "I don't know".

They both saw the one and a half year old that they used to splash around Libby's parents' pool with during the summer, and the pigtailed little girl who stood on the sidelines of every cricket and football match, oblivious to the scorching heat or the bitter cold. They saw little girl who hadn't waved goodbye on her first day of preschool, and the three year old that had wanted to be Jake's date to their formal. The five year old swimming in her too big school dress, and the six year old who lost her four front teeth within a week.

Neither wanted to admit that Ruby Louise had grown up, but she had.

And it scared them stupid.

* * *

The next morning, when Rachel headed off to school, Taylah headed off to preschool and Jake headed off to work, Rachel dialled her mother's number.

"Hi darling, how are-"

"Mum, I have a problem", she said, not even bothering for greetings.

Sensing the alarm in her daughter's voice, Julie took a seat. "What's wrong, darling? Is everything okay?"

"A boy in Ruby's class asked her to the movies, and I don't know what to do!" she almost wailed, making Patrick look at her in surprise from his Jolly Jumper. "What am I supposed to do, Mum?"

Julie smiled, despite the panic in her daughter's voice. Despite everything Rachel had gone through, making the choices she knew were right for her daughter, this was something that she just couldn't do. "Oh, darling. It makes you feel old, doesn't it?"

"Mum, this is not funny. Just tell me what to do! Do I let her go out with Dale, do I not let her and have her hate me-"

"She'll never hate you, Rachel".

"Do I wrap her up in bubble wrap and keep her forever? What do I do?"

"Darling, as much as I'd love to, I can't tell you what to do. I can tell you, however, that wrapping her in bubble wrap wouldn't work. She'd get Taylah to pop them and climb out the window when you're asleep", Julie chuckled. "Darling, do what you think is right for her".

"Mum, what if she gets hurt? What if history repeats itself and she ends up in the same situation I was? I'm not ready to be a grandmother before I'm thirty!"

"Darling, darling, darling", Julie said quickly. "I know you're scared, and you'll probably always harbour that fear. But Ruby's going to grow up, no matter how much we hate it. Ruby's strong and independent and she's one of the most gorgeous girls the world has been blessed with"

"Mum, what if history does repeat itself?"

"then you and Jake are going to stand by her side and support her, the way Dad and I supported you when you got pregnant", Julie said gently. "Because she's your daughter, no matter what happens. It's not going to happen, Rach, but you'll always be there for her".

"When Jake said he'd dig a moat around the house, he never factored in Ruby learning how to swim", Rachel said shakily, her voice cracking. "Ruby's going to go on this date, Mum".

Julie grinned. "I won't tell Dad, don't worry".

"Thanks Mum".

"I love you, darling, more than you'll ever know".

"I love you even more", she whispered.

Even at twenty nine, Rachel called her mother when she needed reassurance. And no matter the situation, talking to Julie always made her feel better.

"Ruby, can I talk to you for a moment?" Rachel called, as Ruby opened the front door.

Ruby padded into the lounge room, tossing her backpack aside. "Yeah?"

"You can go on this date", she said gently. "On two conditions".

"Really?" her blue eyes, identical to her mother's, sparkled. "Okay, sure! What are the conditions?"

"One, Jake and I have to meet him and Jake gets to put the fear of God into him himself".

Ruby chuckled slightly, knowing that Jake would have no problem doing that. "Okay… what's the second condition?"

"That you let me help you get ready for your date".

"Absolutely!"


	45. Chapter 45

"Hey Jake!" Ruby called through the house. "Jake, where are you?"

"In the kitchen!" Jake called back, staring at the pot in dismay.

"Is Mum- what are you cooking?" she asked suspiciously.

"Well, I was trying out this new sauce", he said to her, "But apparently it didn't turn out the way it was supposed to".

"Move over", she laughed, taking the wooden spoon and glancing at the recipe on the bench. "You know, I think we might be able to fix this. Can I talk to you about something?"

"Sure munchkin, anything", he agreed, as she turned and poked her head into the pantry.

"You and Mum are married".

"Yep". He nodded, unsure where she was going with her conversation. "Where did you learn how to cook?"

She started to giggle, as she mixed cornflour and water together to form a paste. "I guess I had to, living with you and Mum", she said cheekily. "Grandma and Nanna taught me. Anyway, when Mum married you she changed her name to Barton, and then Taylah was born, and her last name is Barton, and then Patrick was born and his last name is Barton-"

"Rubes, munchkin, where's this going?"

"Can I change my name, Jake?" she wanted to know, and Jake felt his own eyes well up with tears. "Please? Because you and Mum and Taylah and Patrick are all Bartons and I'm a Rafter and I love being a Rafter, like, more than life, but I would love to be a Barton like you, because you're my daddy". Avoiding his eyes, she stirred the cornflour and water mixture into the sauce Jake had attempted to make, stirring it fast to thicken it. "And can you not tell Mum right away?"

"Ruby Louise", Jake whispered, "I would love nothing more than if you changed your name. But mate, I'm going to have to tell Mum".

"But not yet", she said. "Because I want to surprise her".

"She'll love it". And Jake seized his eldest daughter in a hug, kissing the top of her head fiercely. "I love you, Ruby Lou".

"I love you too, Jake".

* * *

"You want to change your name?" Rachel's bottom lip quivered and Ruby's stomach sank.

"I do", she assured her quickly. "I mean, I love being a Rafter, and I'll always be a Rafter, but Jake's a Barton and then you got married and when Taylah and Patrick were born they were automatically Bartons, and I love being a Rafter, I'd just love to have the same name as everyone else".

Rachel wrapped her in a tight hug, squeezing her tighter than she ever had before.

"I would love for you to become a Barton", Rachel said, with tears streaming down her face.

Jake was the only father Ruby had ever known, he had raised her as his own and Rachel wouldn't change anything. While she was always a Rafter at heart, she was a Barton.

And so was her daughter.

* * *

"I'm finally a Barton", Ruby said to herself, unable to wipe the grin off her face as she held up her new identification card. 'Ruby Louise Barton' shone and she traced the letters with the nail of her pinky finger, hardly able to believe it.

After fifteen years, she had the same name as her father.

Her excitement bubble was broken only moments later, as she heard her mother yell.

"RUBY LOUISE BARTON!" Rachel bellowed from down the hallway, and Ruby sat bolt upright in her bed. Frowning, she cautiously made her way into the doorway.

"Mum?" she asked uncertainly.

Rachel broke into a grin. "Just messing with you Rubes, I wanted to test out your new name". She laughed, and Ruby visibly relaxed, melting into her mother's arms. Rachel pressed a kiss to the top of her head, holding her tight. "I love you Ruby Lou".

"Love you too", she echoed.

"Good night Ruby Louise Barton", Jake said softly to the teenager, who was ninety five percent asleep in her bed. Taking the card from her hands and setting it on the beside table, he kissed her forehead before adjusting her blankets. "I love you".

"Love you", Ruby murmured in her sleep, as he turned off her lamp and moved her phone. "Dad".

Jake felt his heart swell with pride, as he glanced down at the sleeping girl. The girl who, after fifteen years, was officially his daughter.


	46. Chapter 46

"Ready to go, Ruby Lou?" Rachel wanted to know, as she twisted the last curl into place, securing it with a bobby pin.

"I think so, Mum". Ruby nodded, throwing her arms around her mother the way she had done when she was a little girl. "I love you".

"I love you more", Rachel said immediately.

"I know it wasn't easy when I was little and everything, and my sperm donor was messed up… but you did a good job, Ma".

Rachel didn't know whether to laugh or cry, as she hugged her tight. "Thanks, Rubes. You turned out okay".

Ruby giggled, and Rachel squeezed her a little tighter. "Now go and get dressed, tonight is your night! Don't stand around with your soppy old mum!"

"You're thirty two".

"Don't say it like that".

"Sorry".

Giggling, Ruby padded off towards her bedroom to get changed out of her ratty tights and singlet into her formal dress.

They weren't quite sure when Ruby Louise had grown up- somewhere in between Jake checking under her bed for monsters and Rachel plaiting her hair for school every morning. Because they had blinked, and suddenly the little baby they knew was eighteen and ready to step into the next stage of her life.

Ruby Barton's ultimate goal was to study a Bachelor of Education, Primary, at the Australian Catholic University, and despite the fact that she hadn't got her HSC marks or ATAR back, Jake and Rachel knew she could get there. Within four years, she would be standing in front of a class of children, they were sure of it, just by the sheer determination the young woman had.

"Hey Mum?" Ruby said brightly, as she carried her heels out of her bedroom, her dress covering her ankles.

Rachel was awestruck, as she took in the radiating beauty that was her daughter. Never in a million years would she have imagined the pigtailed, overalled rugrat sitting on the cricket field and the girl standing in front of her to be the same person. Her daughter had truly grown up, and Rachel didn't know how to feel about that.

"Yeah?" she said finally.

"Try not to cry today". Her eyes sparkled with laughter and Jake snickered.

"I'll try to make sure she doesn't", he promised her.

"I know she will", Ruby shrugged. "I'm just hoping she doesn't".

"They're here!" Taylah squealed excitedly from the front window.

"Uncle George and Uncle Camel and Aunty Libby?" Ruby called, as she dabbed lip gloss on her lips.

"No, Dale and everyone else!" Taylah giggled. "Come on Patrick!"

(Ruby and Dale had dated for five months, but had decided they were better off as friends. But when he had approached Ruby with a plastic rose, she had beamed at him and accepted his formal invitation.)

"Make sure you check before you open the door!" Rachel warned, and Ruby picked up her clutch.

"We'll meet you there, alright babe?"

"I can't believe Grandma and Grandpa and everyone aren't coming!" Ruby laughed. "I mean, this is the first family occasion they've missed since you got your braces off, Mum".

Rachel laughed, hugging her tight. "Have a great night, if I forget to tell you when we get there".

"I will, Mum".

"You look gorgeous, Rubes". Jake grinned at her. "Have an amazing night, alright?"

"Hey Rubes!" Annelise called. "Let's go!

"Look at you; don't you look grown up, missy?" Rachel laughed, and Annelise's cheeks flushed pink.

"Thank you! Ruby, I love your dress!"

"You look so so so pretty, Annelise", Taylah said with a grin. "So does Ruby. You both do!"

"Aw, thanks baby!" Annelise wrapped Taylah in a hug, tapping Patrick on the nose. "Come on, Rubes".

"Bye!" Patrick hugged his sister, grinning shyly at her friend. "Let's go".

Both girls waved excitedly, as they disappeared out the front door to the limo.

* * *

Once they all arrived at the hall, Ruby and all her friends posed for photos (Libby going absolutely insane with her camera and Annelise and Ruby posing with the same cheesiness they had twelve years ago), as their parents stood back proudly.

"Come on, we need a photo with Tay and Pat!" Libby called, motioning to the two small children to join their big sister. Ruby hoisted Patrick onto her hip, wrapping her other arm around Taylah.

"She looks gorgeous", Jake said to Rachel, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing the top of her head.

"Of course she's gorgeous, she's our kid", Rachel almost scoffed, grinning at him. "We did a pretty good job, didn't we?"

"We did an awesome job. Rubes turned out alright".

"We turned out pretty okay, too". She leaned into him, and he pressed another kiss to the top of her head.

Eighteen years ago when they first met, Rachel was broken and shying away from the slightest touch, trying to hold herself together for her and her infant daughter. When they first met, Jake was trying to patch apart his broken family, from where his father had up and left them when he was five. Together, they had brought out the best in each other, as they pieced together their lives, changing each other for the better. Together, they had faced the best and the worst of times, Ruby Louise by their side, the little girl acting as the glue to hold them together.

And eighteen years later, their girl was all grown up and looking more like her mother than ever.

"She looks just like you, Rach", Libby commented, reaching out to squeeze her best friend's hand. "God, has it really been that long since we left school?"

"I'm choosing not to answer that", Rachel nodded.

"Good God, it's like watching our formal all over again", Camel chuckled. "She's stunning".

"She really is", George agreed.

Rachel would never have wished what she had had to go through on her worst enemy- but it had turned out for the better. Being a mother was the hardest job in the world, but she knew, looking at her eighteen year old daughter in front of her, that she had done a pretty good job.

And as her classmates began to move towards the hall, Ruby held up a finger to her friends.

"Just wait a sec, I have to do something", she said to Dale, waving at Annelise to continue on. As fast as she could in her heels, she moved back towards her parents, kissing her mother's cheek and hugging her quickly.

"Love you Mum".

"Love you too, Rubes". Rachel grinned at her, the little girl who hadn't turned around to wave on her first day of preschool. "So, so much".

"Love you, Jake". She squeezed him tight, smiling up at the only father she had ever known.

"Love you more, Ruby". Jake grinned at her,


End file.
